NATO’s new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, has shared his perspectives on the alliance’s strategic priorities and defense planning with the public. In an interview with The New York Times, Rutte emphasized that the stability of Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Arctic region is vital for the national security of the United States.
“Three Fronts Must Be Secure”
“To ensure the defense of the United States, we must be certain of the security of three regions: Europe, the Atlantic, and the Arctic,” Rutte stated, drawing attention to Russia’s recent military reorganization. “Russia is recovering rapidly and poses a growing threat to the stability of these regions,” he warned.
New Defense Spending Target: 5%
The Secretary General called on NATO member states to significantly increase their defense expenditures. Rutte argued that by 2035, member nations should raise their defense budgets to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP). He stressed that this goal is essential to counter geopolitical threats from actors such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Rutte claimed that in just the past three months, Russia has produced three times the annual military output of all NATO countries combined. “This is the fastest rate of military production we’ve seen so far. Russia is openly cooperating with China and North Korea,” he added.
Praise for Trump
Rutte also commented on former U.S. President Donald Trump’s persistent calls for higher defense spending. “The 2035 target would likely never have been proposed without Trump’s leadership. I appreciate his determined stance on this issue,” he said.
Responding to Criticism: “My Job Is to Preserve the Alliance”
In response to criticism that he is “too close to Trump,” Rutte dismissed the concerns, saying: “After serving 14 years as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, I’m no stranger to criticism. But that’s not the point here. My duty is to protect NATO’s unity. The United States is our most important ally.”
Harsh Response from Medvedev
Rutte’s statements sparked a strong reaction from Moscow. Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev responded to the claim that “Russia threatens Europe” by saying, “It’s obvious Rutte has indulged a bit too much in the hallucinogenic mushrooms popular in the Netherlands. But he may be right about one thing: Europeans might need to start learning Russian.”
Medvedev’s biting remark suggests that tensions between NATO and Russia could escalate even further in the near future.
