AMERICA will always lead Nato, Britain’s defence secretary has claimed.

John Healey insisted there was “no vacancy” at the top of the alliance as he brushed off concerns about Donald Trump’s pivots, adding: “America is not stepping away”.

Healey was responding to claims that America would stop providing a general to be Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), the alliance’s top military commander.

The post has been held by an American since General Dwight Eisenhower became the first SACEUR in 1951.

But the US network NBC reported that the US was considering giving it up as part of a major “restucturing”.

Britain’s chief of defence staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin had been tipped as a possible successor.

Healey was asked if he would back his Admiral, while Radakin was sitting next to him at Wellington Barracks in central London.

Healey said: “It’s always been the American SACEUR. That is that is what I want to continue to see.”

He said the White House was right to challenge Europe and the UK “to step up and do more”.

But he insisted America’s Defence Secretary had “made it very clear” that they were committed to the alliance.

Healey said: The Americans have been the cornerstone of Nato, and in my discussions with Secretary Hegseth he’s made very clear that at one of the same time they are challenging rightly European nations like the UK to step up and do more, but America is not stepping away.”

“For me, there is no vacancy. There’s no question that it’s not and should not be, an American SACEUR.”

Sir Keir Starmer met with Nato boss Mark Rutte in Paris this morning as both leaders backed the US as “vital” to forging a path to a Ukraine ceasefire.

Downing Street said: “The prime minister met Nato secretary general Mark Rutte in Paris this morning, ahead of the coalition of the willing meeting.

“They discussed their enduring support for Ukraine, agreeing that Europe must do everything possible to keep them in the fight and keep up the pressure on Putin.”

The pair “acknowledged the vital role of the United States in forging a path towards a ceasefire agreement” and said Europe stands ready to back “a durable and lasting peace when it comes”.

Starmer also “restated his unwavering commitment to NATO as the cornerstone of our security.”

It comes as further crunch “coalition of the willing” talks are taking place today in the French capital.

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, Sir Keir Starmer and dozens of EU leaders will all be in attendance.

The summit will be led by French leader Emmanuel Macron who warned today that Vladimir Putin “still wants war”.