ANKARA, July 1. /TASS/. Within the framework of the "NATO 3.0" concept for renewing the alliance, the US will grant EU countries more responsibility in Europe and Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated.

"NATO 3.0 is different from NATO 2.0, where we were overly dependent on the US. The US will still be involved in Europe, [on] conventional, and, of course, nuclear [matters], but you will see a stronger European-led NATO. In the nearest future, European countries will assume command of three NATO joint commands," he told the Anadolu news agency in an interview ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8.

According to Rutte, Europeans "will also assume a leading role in providing Ukraine with financial assistance." "The US will continue to supply a significant amount of important military equipment, but European countries and Canada will finance it. This means that NATO will engage in fairer burden-sharing, which will strengthen the organization significantly, increase its deterrent capabilities against Russia, and correct its naive treatment of China," the NATO chief pointed out.

"Of course, this is important not only in the context of Ukraine but also overall. If we want NATO to become the most powerful organization in the future, we must take these steps," he stressed.