Top US commander in Europe: NATO must be ready for two-front conflict with Russia and China

The U.S.-led NATO alliance must prepare for the possibility that Russia and China could launch wars in Europe and the Pacific simultaneously, with 2027 being a potential flashpoint year, the top American commander in Europe said Thursday.

U.S. European Command’s Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, speaking at a meeting of military and defense industrial leaders in Wiesbaden, said the situation means allies have little time to prepare.

“We’re going to need every bit of kit and equipment and munitions that we can in order to beat that,” Grynkewich said.

If China’s President Xi Jinping makes a move on Taiwan, he likely would coordinate such an attack with Russian President Vladimir Putin, opening the possibility of a global conflict, he said.

“That, to me, means that both of these things could happen together,” said Grynkewich, who also serves as NATO supreme allied commander.

Grynkewich’s remarks came during a U.S. Army Europe and Africa-hosted conference, where military and industry leaders are seeking ways to ramp up weapons production across the 32-nation NATO alliance.

Grynkewich, just weeks on the job as the top military officer in Europe, also said that NATO efforts are underway to get more Patriot systems into Ukraine.

“I’m not going to reveal to the Russians or anyone else the exact numbers of weapons that we’re transferring or when those will happen, but what I will say is that preparations are underway,” he said.

Grynkewich said he also will be convening with NATO military leaders in the days ahead to look for other ways to ramp up support for Ukraine, particularly in the area of air defense.

“We’re going to move as quickly as we can on this,” he said.

NATO’s push to get more air defense into Ukraine comes after a President Donald Trump last week said that the U.S. would provide weapons to Ukraine, via NATO, with allies footing the bill for the systems.

At the RheinMain Conference Center in Wiesbaden, military and defense industry leaders were gathered for the Association of the U.S. Army’s LandEuro symposium. The two-day program, which wrapped up Thursday, served as an opportunity for vendors to showcase various weapons systems.

During the event, Grynkewich and U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s Gen. Christopher Donahue emphasized the need for closer military collaboration with industry and the need for companies to develop systems at a faster pace.

The leaders also cautioned against viewing threats posed by Russia and China as separate challenges, arguing that deterrence requires a global approach.

“Each of these threats that are out there cannot be viewed, in my estimation, as discrete challenges. We’ve got to think about how all of them are aligning,” Grynkewich said.

Grynkewich said a key focus for him also will be making sure that NATO allies are keeping up with recent pledges to increase defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product and that those increased investments are directed toward the right military priorities.

“Time is of the essence, and I intend to keep highlighting that and letting everyone know that we’ve got to move out and we’ve got to move quickly,” he said./American Legion/