NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, launched this Thursday, December 11, a severe warning to the European states that are members of the Atlantic alliance, stating that “we are Russia’s next target” and underlining the urgent need to strengthen European defense.
In a speech given at a security conference in Berlin, Rutte warned of the risk of a “major war”, comparable to the “conflicts that our grandparents and great-grandparents faced”if the allies do not quickly increase investment and military production.
“I fear that many are silently complacent. Too many do not feel the urgency and believe that time is playing in our favor. It is not. The time to act is now,” said the Dutchman.
Rutte warned that Russia could be ready to resort to military force against NATO in the next five years and stressed that “the security of the United States also depends on a secure Europe”. The secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance was optimistic about the possibility of alignment between Washington and Brussels on Ukraine, but reinforced that European preparation is essential.
“Conflict is on our doorstep. Russia has brought war back to Europe. And we need to be prepared“, he added, quoted by Reuters.