Washington, Jan 25 (NationPress) The United States has emphasized that its allies need to take on a larger role in global defense responsibilities as Washington shifts its military focus towards safeguarding the homeland and countering China in the Indo-Pacific, as outlined in the 2026 National Defense Strategy.

The strategy articulates that while America's alliances are vital, they cannot continue to rely on dependency. “Our allies will act not merely as a favor to us, but driven by their own interests,” the document asserts, stressing that partners should function as contributors rather than “dependencies of the past.”

With the United States directing attention to homeland security and the Indo-Pacific, the strategy acknowledges that other threats will persist globally, highlighting the necessity of allied engagement. It underlines that allies must spearhead the response to security issues that may be “less urgent for us but more critical for them,” with the United States providing “essential but reduced support.”

A principal issue addressed in the strategy is identified as the “simultaneity problem”—the danger of multiple adversaries acting jointly or opportunistically across various fronts. The document indicates that this risk has been exacerbated by years of inadequate investment in defense by allies, which has led the United States to bear security costs while others prioritized domestic matters.

“For an extended period, allies and partners have allowed us to shoulder their defense costs,” the strategy remarks, noting that ordinary Americans “footed the bill” while political figures garnered the accolades. This approach is now deemed obsolete, with burden-sharing characterized as an “integral component” of the new strategy.

The document introduces a new global standard for defense expenditures established during President Donald Trump’s administration. It urges allies to allocate 3.5 percent of their gross domestic product towards primary military capabilities, along with an additional 1.5 percent for security-related expenditures, summing up to a total of 5 percent of GDP. This standard is advocated to be applicable “globally, not just in Europe.”

In Europe, the strategy notes that NATO allies are well-equipped to assume main responsibility for their conventional defense, citing their collective economic strength and industrial capacity. It argues that European allies must lead in confronting threats that are more pressing for them, including the obligation to support Ukraine’s defense, while the United States adjusts its force positioning accordingly.

“The answer to Europe’s security challenges lies in Europe taking primary charge of its conventional defense,” the document asserts, adding that while US engagement will persist, it will be more focused on other priorities.

In the Indo-Pacific, the strategy underscores that allies and partners share a vested interest in a “free and open regional order” and must play a crucial role in deterring and countering China. Their contributions, it states, are vital for reinforcing deterrence and sustaining a favorable power balance in the region.

The strategy also delineates expectations for burden-sharing beyond Europe and Asia. In the Middle East, it insists that regional partners must increase their role in deterring Iran and its affiliates, with US support remaining focused and decisive. On the Korean Peninsula, it asserts that South Korea should be capable of leading deterrence efforts against North Korea, with US forces in a more limited supportive role.

It indicates that incentives will favor “model allies” who meet spending commitments and visibly contribute to regional security. Cooperation will be prioritized through arms sales, defense industrial collaboration, intelligence-sharing, and operational planning.

The strategy contends that effective burden-sharing bolsters global deterrence by allowing allied networks to generate sufficient forces even amidst simultaneous crises.