An anxious and persistent buzz is growing within NATO diplomatic circles: key European allies, led by Poland and Romania, are privately appealing to the Trump administration to immediately deploy advanced American weapon systems on their soil. Yet, behind this official request lies a deeper and more troubling reality for Europe: a growing recognition that the Alliance’s own strength may be insufficient, and that US commitments are becoming increasingly unpredictable.
Unlike the rhetoric of past years, this appeal is not a general call for solidarity, but a concrete and urgent demand for Washington to confirm its commitments with steel and fire. It concerns the deployment of fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets and modern air defense systems like Patriots and NASAMS at the Romanian airbase Mihail Kogălniceanu and in border regions of Poland.
For Eastern Europe, this is a matter of immediate deterrence. “The American response is in a completely different weight class compared to the European one,” a senior diplomat from an Eastern European state is quoted as saying, reflecting a common sentiment in the region. The presence of F-35s, invisible to Russian radar, and the Patriots’ ability to intercept ballistic missiles are seen as the only credible signal to Moscow.
But for Western Europe, particularly in capitals like Berlin and Paris, this situation exposes an old dilemma: dependence on Washington for security clashes with the desire for strategic autonomy. The tension arises not from opposition to protecting the eastern flank, but from concerns that unilateral deals with the Trump administration could further undermine NATO cohesion and delay the long-overdue strengthening of European defense capabilities.
While these delicate negotiations with Washington are underway, the alliance is demonstrating resolve on its own. As sources report, a mission involving eight F-35 fighter jets to patrol Polish airspace under NATO auspices will be launched imminently. This step, independent of any White House decision, is intended to demonstrate unity and operational readiness.
Simultaneously, purely European initiatives are gaining momentum. The German-led “European Sky Shield” initiative for the joint procurement of air defense systems and the formation of “coalitions of the willing” to address specific threats are signs that the continent may have reached a tipping point. Even with potential American weaponry, the paradigm is gradually shifting towards risk diversification.
The great unknown in this equation is Donald Trump himself. As diplomats in Brussels note, his previous statements about NATO and foreign policy cause “fear in the corridors.” European leaders are worried by Washington’s potential reluctance to take on solid commitments, preferring symbolic gestures instead. “He thinks words are enough—action is not necessarily required,” one source concludes.
This element of unpredictability is forcing Europe to actively prepare contingency plans for all possible outcomes. A US refusal to fulfill the request would be perceived as a final signal to accelerate the construction of an independent European defense architecture.
The current situation is more than just a request to station troops. It is a symptom of a deeper strategic shift in transatlantic relations. Europe, torn between the need for immediate American power and the aspiration for long-term strategic independence, finds itself at a crossroads.
Washington’s decision (or lack thereof) regarding F-35s and missiles in Eastern Europe will determine not only the security of that region but also the future path of the entire European continent: either towards a revived yet still dependent NATO model, or towards a new, more complex and autonomous chapter of its own defense identity.
