NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed a call to alliance member countries in Berlin to immediately strengthen defense efforts in response to the growing threat from Russia. In his speech on December 11, he emphasized the need for collective action to prevent a large-scale war similar to those experienced by previous generations.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Warning of Possible Aggression and the Importance of Preparedness
Rutte stressed that all 32 NATO member countries must be prepared for the potential use of force by the Russian Federation within the next five years. He pointed out that overconfidence and underestimating the seriousness of the situation are dangerous for the alliance’s security.
“We are Russia’s next target. And we are already in danger,” Rutte said.
The NATO Secretary General called for a rapid increase in defense spending and a ramp-up in arms production to ensure that the alliance’s armies have everything necessary to guarantee security.
Response from the Russian Federation and New Challenges for NATO
The Kremlin has repeatedly cited NATO’s expansion as one of the reasons for its full-scale aggression against Ukraine, which Western intelligence estimates has resulted in around one million casualties. Following the onset of the invasion, Sweden and Finland joined the alliance in response to the heightened threats in the region.
In this context, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated in Moscow that Russia does not plan to attack the European Union or NATO and that the Kremlin is ready to provide appropriate guarantees in written and legal form, but only on a reciprocal basis.
At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently threatened European countries, stating that Moscow is prepared for confrontation if they start a war with Russia.
The rising tensions along the alliance’s eastern borders are also confirmed by recent events: German and Romanian fighter jets were scrambled to respond to the crossing of the border by Russian drones over Romanian territory, and incursions of Russian military aircraft into Estonian airspace were recorded. In response, NATO launched the “Eastern Guardian” initiative to enhance air defense and protect the eastern flank of the alliance.