Slovenia’s newly elected parliamentary speaker, Zoran Stevanovic of the Truth Party, has announced plans to hold a referendum on the country’s continued membership in NATO. The move comes amid mounting tensions within the 32-member military alliance, as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw American support unless European members increase their defence spending and align more closely with Washington’s foreign policy objectives.
Stevanovic, who was elected head of Slovenia’s lower house last week, told public broadcaster RTVSLO that the referendum was a key campaign promise. “We promised the people a referendum on the issue of leaving NATO, and we will hold this referendum,” he said. He also indicated he may visit Moscow soon, expressing a desire to “build bridges and cooperate well with all countries, regardless of the wall that has been built between the West and the East.”
The push for a NATO exit vote coincides with the alliance’s deepest internal crisis in years. Trump has publicly criticised European allies as “cowards” and described NATO as a “paper tiger,” stating that US membership is “beyond reconsideration.” His threats have been exacerbated by disputes over NATO members’ refusal to support the US and Israel in military action against Iran, as well as his continued remarks about annexing Greenland from fellow member Denmark.
Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has warned that Trump’s threats should be taken seriously, noting that NATO’s future is not guaranteed. “It is not the law of nature that we have NATO forever,” he said, adding that the alliance’s survival over the next decade is uncertain.
In response to the growing uncertainty, European officials have begun quietly developing contingency plans for a “European NATO” that would operate independently of the United States. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, these plans involve using existing NATO military structures on the continent should the US reduce its role or withdraw entirely.
Russian officials have weighed in on the situation, with Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev warning that a militarised European Union could become “in some ways worse than NATO.” He argued that Brussels has been stoking anti-Russian sentiment to justify increased military spending. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested that Trump’s threats might be aimed at shifting the burden of “containing Russia” onto Europe, thereby freeing the US to focus on China.
Moscow has consistently denied any intention to attack NATO or EU countries, maintaining that such claims are used to justify large-scale arms investments amid slowing economic growth.
The developments in Slovenia and the broader uncertainty surrounding NATO’s future highlight deepening divisions within the transatlantic alliance and raise questions about the long-term stability of European security arrangements.
