NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday acknowledged a significant increase in European defense spending, calling it one of the largest since the Cold War, while urging continued efforts to strengthen military capabilities in the face of growing global security challenges.
Speaking at the NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, Rutte noted, “We literally see hundreds of billions of euros rolling in,” emphasizing the scale of the defense spending boost across European NATO members. Despite the surge, he stressed that more action was necessary.
This meeting also marked the first NATO appearance of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The discussions centered on increasing defense investments, expanding industrial production, and reinforcing support for Ukraine.
Rutte underscored the importance of defending NATO territory against Russia, describing it as the alliance’s long-term threat. “Our focus is on how to defend NATO territory against the Russians, a challenge that will persist even after, hopefully, there is a deal on Ukraine,” he stated.
Addressing questions about US commitment, Rutte dismissed any concerns regarding Washington’s reliability as an ally. “Absolutely, they are,” he responded when asked about the US’s trustworthiness. He further noted, “There is a clear commitment by the US, a clear expectation that we will equalize the spending here on the European side of NATO.”
He also pointed out that since 2017, NATO members have added €700 billion ($770 billion) to defense spending, acknowledging the efforts of the previous US administration in facilitating peace efforts in Ukraine. “The Americans have broken a network. They are working with the Russians and Ukrainians to get to a peace deal that should be enduring and lasting,” Rutte said.
Rutte concluded by highlighting Arctic security and stability in the Western Balkans as areas of growing importance for NATO.