Rutte urged NATO countries to increase defense spending in response to Russia.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on Alliance member countries on Thursday to immediately reassess their defense strategy due to the long-term threat posed by Russia.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing his statement during a speech at the Carnegie Hall European Center.

He stated that to prevent war, NATO countries must increase their defense spending.

According to him, Alliance nations need to adopt a wartime mindset and raise their defense expenditures to a level significantly above the current 2% of GDP.

Rutte emphasized that Russia is preparing for a long-term confrontation not only with Ukraine but also with the Alliance countries.

"Our deterrence is effective today, but I am concerned about tomorrow," he stressed.

In Rutte's opinion, Alliance countries are not ready for threats that could become a reality in four to five years.

The Secretary General also warned that the current war between Russia and Ukraine may serve as a prelude to potential threats directly on NATO territory if appropriate measures are not taken.

Rutte added that the Alliance should aim for defense spending levels seen during the Cold War, when NATO countries allocated more than 3% of their GDP to defense.

At the same time, he reminded that Russia is already transitioning its economy to a wartime footing, with defense spending expected to reach 7-8% of GDP by 2025—the highest level since the Cold War.

The NATO Secretary General emphasized that while there is currently no direct threat to Alliance member countries, long-term security risks remain high.

He stated that NATO will not be safe without proper preparation, regardless of the outcome of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

He also called for accelerating defense production, modernizing the militaries of member countries, and enhancing readiness for possible escalation.

Recall that sources from Bloomberg reported that Alliance countries are preparing to increase defense spending.

Additionally, we previously reported that Poland urged Germany to increase military expenditures. Why - find out in the RBC-Ukraine article.