Brussels, June 18 -- US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has announced that America will conduct a comprehensive review of its forces stationed in Europe. The announcement follows a sharp critique directed at the volume of financial contributions made by the United Kingdom and other international allies to the NATO alliance.

Addressing defence ministers at the alliance headquarters in Brussels, Hegseth stated that, for an extended period, NATO had functioned as a "paper tiger and a one-way street", exhibiting excessive dependence on Washington.

He further asserted that "some of NATO's largest economies... still think the era of free riding is here".

"No more," he added, according to statements delivered at the headquarters. "For all of ou...