A Pentagon questionnaire sent to NATO allies as part of a U.S. review of its force posture in Europe has drawn criticism from an Estonian lawmaker, who warned that the process could expose divisions within the alliance. Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Estonia’s Parliament, called the questionnaire an “unnecessary stress test” and said a more coordinated approach would have better served both U.S. and allied interests.

The document reportedly asks governments about their public support for U.S. policy, engagement with American defense contractors and the conditions governing use of U.S. military bases in their countries. It also reportedly asks whether those bases could support operations connected to the conflict involving Iran. The questionnaire has been linked to the ongoing U.S. force posture review for the continent, though Washington has not publicly detailed the document.

Mihkelson said questionnaires are not unusual in NATO, but they generally come from the alliance’s headquarters rather than from one member acting alone. He argued that the issues could have been raised through the North Atlantic Council, where allied governments discuss collective security decisions. He said he had not personally seen the questionnaire but understood that responses were due by Aug. 27. The next North Atlantic Council meeting is expected to take place in Brussels and is expected to be attended by U.S. Under Secretary for Defense Policy Elbridge Colby.

The criticism comes as European governments weigh how to respond to Washington’s request. A NATO official confirmed that the United States is working with allies on its force posture review but referred questions about the document’s specific contents to U.S. authorities, Breaking Defense reported.

Norway’s Defense Ministry said it had been informed during a NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels in June that such a request would be forthcoming. The ministry said it was reviewing the questions and would respond to the United States on the issues raised. Germany’s Defense Ministry also confirmed that Berlin had been invited to participate in the force posture review, describing the process as an opportunity to continue dialogue with Washington on shared defense policy interests.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he did not view the U.S. move as pressure, characterizing it instead as consistent with how the current administration operates. Other European officials have criticized the questionnaire, while many governments have kept their public responses measured. Several NATO members did not respond to requests for comment cited in the report.

The dispute also reflects a disagreement over the relationship between alliance commitments and U.S. military operations outside Europe. A U.S. official said President Donald Trump was deeply disappointed by what the administration viewed as insufficient allied support during Operation Epic Fury, which the official said was intended to make the world safer by denuclearizing Iran. The official added that the United States expected access to its European bases to advance global and European security.

An unnamed senior European defense official disputed that rationale, telling Al Jazeera that the administration was confusing NATO matters with unilateral U.S. military operations and that NATO had no role in the Middle East conflict. Former U.S. ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder separately criticized the questionnaire on social media, alleging that it placed loyalty to Washington above common interests and could weaken collective defense.

As capitals prepare their responses, Mihkelson said the handling of the questionnaire could affect how Russia and China assess NATO’s cohesion. He warned that allied disagreements should not create an image of visible division or weaken the alliance’s focus on deterring threats along its borders. Responses are understood to be due Aug. 27, while a North Atlantic Council meeting is expected in Brussels.