BRUSSELS, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Europe's largest military powers are formulating plans to assume more responsibility for the continent's defense, aiming to gradually reduce reliance on the United States, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
Concerned by U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats to weaken or leave NATO, the countries, including Britain, France, Germany and the Nordics, are developing a proposal to gradually transfer duties over the next five to 10 years.
The plan in "informal but structured" discussions would include increased European defense spending and enhanced military capabilities to convince the United States to agree to a managed transition.
Even with increased spending, it is estimated that Europe would need at least five to 10 years to develop the capabilities needed to replace most U.S. contributions, the FT cited some European officials as saying, not including U.S. nuclear deterrence.
NATO officials said maintaining the alliance's structure without the United States would be far simpler than building a new framework. ■
