At a moment when Europe is focused on persuading Donald Trump to remain committed(致力于……的) to Nato, it needs to convince Americans, too. So the presence this evening of the Nato secretary general(秘书长), Mark Rutte, in front of a public audience in Des Moines, Iowa, is significant. This is the home town of Trump’s ambassador to Nato, Matthew Whitaker, and the visit brings the debate over Nato’s future directly to a midwestern audience in a red state(红州（共和党占优的州）) that operates far from elite foreign-policy circles in Washington. Rutte’s appearance is long overdue(早该发生的).
当欧洲正集中精力说服唐纳德·特朗普继续致力于北约时，它也需要说服美国民众。因此，北约秘书长马克·吕特今晚在艾奥瓦州得梅因市面向公众发表演讲，意义重大。这里是特朗普驻北约大使马修·惠特克的家乡，此行将关于北约未来的辩论直接带到了中西部观众面前——一个远离华盛顿精英外交政策圈子的红州。吕特的这次露面早就该来了。
Russia’s war in Ukraine and uncertainty over the US commitment to European security have forced European leaders to confront(直面，面对) their dependence on Washington. While some are pressing for building European capabilities as a means to separate from the US, others see greater European defence spending as essential to keeping the US engaged.(一些人主张建设欧洲能力以与美国拉开距离，另一些人则认为增加防务开支对留住美国至关重要。) Either way, European governments can’t rely solely on meetings with Trump to secure the alliance’s future.
俄罗斯在乌克兰的战争以及美国对欧洲安全承诺的不确定性，迫使欧洲领导人直面自身对华盛顿的依赖。一些人主张建设欧洲自身能力，以此与美国拉开距离；另一些人则认为，增加欧洲防务开支对于让美国继续参与至关重要。无论如何，欧洲各国政府不能仅仅依靠与特朗普的会晤来保障联盟的未来。
Instead, Europe’s leaders need to look beyond Washington and take a tip from(借鉴……的做法) Rutte. Making the public case for Nato, the transatlantic partnership, and shared security across the middle of the country, is essential, not optional(可选的，非必须的). This case should begin with the American people.
相反，欧洲领导人需要把目光投向华盛顿之外，并借鉴吕特的做法。向美国中部地区公众阐述北约、跨大西洋伙伴关系以及共同安全的理由，是必须做的，而非可选项。这项工作应当从美国民众开始。