Should NATO plan for a future without the United States?

President Trump has long complained that some European members of the organisation have been getting a free ride from the USA after failing to meet their commitment to spend two per cent of their national income on defence.

At the NATO meeting on Wednesday he raised the ante, saying he wanted the two per cent to be raised to four per cent. The rhetoric from the White House has raised fears that the Trump administration might consider withdrawing from NATO altogether.

David Aaronovitch asks to what extent are European NATO members getting a free ride and could they defend themselves without US support?

He assesses the current threat to NATO and asks how the military alliance strengthens its European members and how the United States benefits from membership.

CONTRIBUTORS

Elisabeth Braw, expert on European security at the consultancy Control Risks

Nick Childs, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies

Filippo Costa Buranelli, School of International Relations at the University of St Andrews

Tomas Valasek, former Slovakian permanent representative to NATO

Heather Conley, served in the US State Department during the George W. Bush administration

Producers: Tim Mansel, Serena Tarling and Olivia Beazley