NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that while Russia would face inevitable defeat if it attacked NATO now, the alliance must prepare for increased Russian military capabilities in the coming years, as per European Pravda.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday ahead of a NATO defense ministers'
meeting, Rutte emphasized that alliance members should take intelligence warnings about potential Russian aggression seriously and start preparing now. At the same time, he assured that any current Russian attack would face devastating consequences.
"If Putin attacks NATO, the response will be destructive. He would lose... Deterrence and defense are very strong," Rutte stated.
The NATO chief cautioned that Russia could significantly strengthen its military capabilities within 4-5 years, given its current pace of military-industrial production. In response, Rutte outlined three key priorities for NATO: supporting Ukraine, increasing defense spending, and developing defense industry capabilities.
"Otherwise, we'll have money but won't be able to protect ourselves. We need to do this. Plus, we need to ensure Ukraine prevails," Rutte said.
He noted that Canada and European NATO members increased their defense investments by nearly 20% in 2024 compared to 2023.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is reportedly planning to encourage European allies to purchase more American weapons for Ukraine amid possible peace negotiations with Moscow and push for an increase of military spending to 5%.
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