NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte cautioned Thursday that Russia may attack the alliance within five years, urging member states to boost defense spending and production to avert a large-scale conflict in Europe.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Speaking in Berlin, Mark Rutte warned that complacency among NATO members was leaving the alliance vulnerable to aggression from Moscow, calling for immediate and coordinated action to strengthen collective defense.
“We are Russia’s next target,” Rutte said. “I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now.”
Rutte, who recently took office as NATO’s secretary general, said allies must not underestimate the danger posed by the Kremlin’s expanding military posture. He urged nations to accelerate weapons manufacturing, modernize their forces, and meet or exceed the alliance’s 2% defense spending benchmark.
“Conflict is at our door,” he said. “Russia has brought war back to Europe. And we must be prepared.”
The NATO chief warned that intelligence assessments indicate Russia could regain enough military capability to challenge the alliance directly within five years, emphasizing that the window to deter such a confrontation is rapidly closing.
Rutte’s remarks come amid ongoing efforts by NATO to strengthen its eastern defenses and ensure that Europe remains capable of responding to potential aggression. “We are at a turning point,” he said, “and history will judge how well we rise to this moment.”
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