U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends the NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels on the 18th [Yonhap News/Reuters] 

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth urged European allies to take the lead in European defense and transform the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into a truly robust military alliance.

Hegseth expressed these views ahead of the NATO defense ministers' meeting, which opened in Brussels on the 18th (local time), emphasizing the need for the transatlantic alliance of 32 member nations to be reborn as 'NATO 3.0,' capable of deterring any threat.

"'NATO 3.0' reflects the recognition that NATO must return to being a truly robust military alliance after the Cold War," he stated, stressing that "European allies must possess substantial military power to exert deterrence on the European continent and lead conventional European defense."

As part of these goals, Hegseth announced that the U.S. will invest $1.5 trillion (approximately 2,300 trillion KRW) in its own defense by next year, calling it a "message to the world" signaling that the U.S. is building an 'arsenal of democracy.'

He explained that this arsenal "primarily protects the U.S. and U.S. interests, but simultaneously supports the strength of NATO and its allies."

He also added that he would emphasize to U.S. allies the importance of "acting and taking responsibility in a strong manner to defend their own continent."

Hegseth's remarks come as the U.S. recently informed its allies that it would no longer provide certain military assets, such as some fighter jets and aerial refueling aircraft, even if one member nation is attacked, leaving Europe to ponder how to fill the resulting security void.

The Trump administration is seeking to reduce the scale of forces deployed in Europe, arguing that the U.S. needs to secure more military resources to prepare for multiple simultaneous conflicts.

According to U.S. media, including The New York Times, the U.S. plans to reduce the number of F-16 and F-15 fighter jets deployed in Europe from the current 150 to 100, a one-third reduction. The number of maritime patrol aircraft will be reduced from 26 to 15. Aerial refueling aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) are also subject to reduction, and the U.S. plans to withdraw one of the two aircraft carrier strike groups and one submarine capable of launching cruise missiles.

However, the U.S. has made it clear that it has no plans to remove nuclear weapons stationed in Europe, which play a crucial role in NATO's deterrence.