Spain's defence chief urges US link ahead of NATO summit

Admiral Teodoro Esteban López Calderón, chief of staff of Spain’s armed forces, said NATO remains the only organisation capable of guaranteeing Europe’s defence and that preserving the trans‑Atlantic link with the United States is a priority. Speaking at the International Security and Defence Seminar in Toledo, he warned that Europe must share responsibility for its security and noted growing US pressure for a substantial shift in burden‑sharing.

López Calderón highlighted the hybrid threats posed by Russia, including energy blackmail, cyber‑attacks on critical infrastructure, migration‑instrumentalisation and sabotage of defence factories. He also stressed that Europe still needs the United States’ nuclear umbrella.

Juan Francisco Martínez Núñez, secretary‑general for Defence Policy, echoed the view that while Europe’s conventional defence role is changing, it cannot yet fully replace US nuclear deterrence, and that collaboration between the EU and NATO should be seen as mutual reinforcement rather than competition.