NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has highlighted the military alliance’s need to become stronger and more effective amid waning support from the United States and an increasing threat from Russia.
“There is no longer East or West – there is just NATO,” Rutte said in a speech at Chatham House on Monday. “It is vital that every member of NATO pull their weight because America has carried too much of the burden for too long.”
He noted that the need for the alliance to fortify its capabilities is driven by the fact that Russia now owns missiles capable of traveling faster than the speed of sound, making it easier to attack European capital cities within minutes.
The NATO chief also addressed the need for greater defense spending among member states. “I expect allied leaders will agree to spend 5 percent of GDP on defense,” Rutte said. Days earlier, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Rutte stated at a NATO defense meeting in Brussels that an increase in defense spending targets is essential to deterring the coming threats posed by anti-Western aggressors.
NATO is set to host a summit on June 24 and 25 in The Hague, where leaders are expected to discuss the spending requirement and other pressing issues affecting the alliance and its members.