Some 1,500 American paratroopers quietly left a strategic base near the Ukrainian border last October, raising alarms in Romania about NATO's cohesion. As defence ministers prepare to meet in Brussels on February 12, the alliance faces a trust crisis amid tensions over Greenland and shifting US priorities. This fracture signals erosion in the Article 5 collective defence guarantee.
The story began with those quiet withdrawals of 1,500 American paratroopers from a Romanian base near the Ukrainian border, appearing as a fissure in NATO's transatlantic foundation. For decades, the alliance has relied on Article 5's promise: an attack on one is an attack on all. Today, territorial disputes and political rhetoric threaten that bond.
The core tension revolves around Greenland, where renewed US interest in acquisition challenges NATO's principle of sovereign equality. Sophia Besch, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, states: “This episode is significant because it crossed an invisible line.” US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Lisa Murkowski warned that such suggestions signal instability, emboldening adversaries.
To bolster independence, European nations and Canada agreed in July 2025 to allocate 5% of GDP to defence by 2035, including 3.5% for core military needs and 1.5% for security infrastructure like bridges and ports. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised these moves but avoided comment on the Greenland dispute.
The Kremlin has not missed these cracks; Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called it a “major disorder in Europe.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas cautioned against ongoing Russian threats, including cyberattacks and sabotage. With the February 12 meeting focusing on High North security, the question lingers: can NATO overcome its internal rifts? In his year-end address, Rutte recalled that Russia has brought large-scale war back to the continent.
