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Polish President Andrzej Duda has called for an unwavering US commitment to European security following President-Elect Donald Trump’s election.

What’s the deal: While speaking on Poland’s Independence Day, President Duda delivered a message on European security, claiming that Europe cannot defend itself against Russia without sustained US support. He dismissed a “pipe dream” belief that Europe could secure itself independently, using the ongoing war in Ukraine to highlight critical vulnerabilities, including Europe’s limited ammunition supplies for a prolonged war.

Duda also said there was a need for strengthened Euro-Atlantic ties and urged European nations to commit more deeply to NATO and the transatlantic alliance. He argued that only a united, well-prepared Europe, fortified by US leadership, could effectively deter Russian imperial ambitions, drawing on Cold War-era strategies where high Western defense spending successfully curbed Soviet aggression—a model he believes is essential today.

Digging deeper: NATO sets a minimum defense spending target for its member countries at 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a goal aimed at ensuring collective security and readiness to respond to threats. However, only a portion of NATO members consistently meet this benchmark, with just over a third reaching or exceeding the 2% threshold.

Among European nations, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the Baltic states have consistently met or surpassed this spending target, especially in response to rising tensions with Russia. Countries like Germany, Spain, Canada, and Italy have been slower in meeting the 2% goal.

Criticism from Trump: President-Elect Donald Trump has often criticized NATO member countries for not meeting the alliance’s commitment to defense spending. Trump has argued that the US is bearing an unfair share of the financial burden for NATO’s collective security, accusing some European allies of relying disproportionately on American military support. Trump has previously hinted that the United States could reduce its involvement or support if European allies did not increase their defense budgets to meet NATO’s guidelines.