The leader of NATO has delivered a geopolitical blow – warning that Europe might be facing the threat of a Russian military attack as soon as 2030, unless it undergoes an enormous defense upgrade.
Mark Rutte, NATO’s newly appointed secretary general is advocating for an “quantum leap” in defence preparedness and a record increase in the amount of military expenditures across the entire alliance, The Independent reports.
In Chatham House in London Chatham House just weeks before the crucial NATO meeting, Rutte minced no words the fact that we must make to make a leap in our defense.
It is a fact that we need more troops and the capability to implement our defense plans fully. It is a fact that the threat is not going away even after the conflict in Ukraine closes.
From Kyiv to Calais: Rutte’s 5% Defence Ultimatum
Dutchman is calling on NATO countries to make a stronger effort on their commitments. He is requesting that every member invest 3.5 percent of their GDP directly military capabilities as well as an extra 1.5 percent on other security-related fields totalling 5percent.
It would mean the return in Cold War levels of spending and more than double the current NATO standard of 2%, according to The Independent.
His message included an icy warning. If you don’t do these things… it is possible that you may continue to have access to the National Health Service, or in other countries, their health systems, pension system, etc however, you must learn to understand Russian, Rutte said, directly linking the lack of investment in defence to the demise of Western freedom.
When asked if the target of 5% could cause tax increases, Rutte sidestepped: “It is not up to me” to set the fiscal policy. However, she insisted that the threat level is high enough to warrant urgent action right now.
Putin, Missiles, and the ‘Golden Dome’ Gamble
It’s the perfect time to issue Rutte’s warning could not be better.
A few days prior to his speech, Vladimir Putin unleashed a bombardment of 407 drones as well as 44 missiles in Ukraine which killed three people and injured dozens of people, The Sun reports.
“Russia delivers terror from above,” Rutte stated and warned that NATO’s air defences need to be increased in size by 40% if the alliance is to be able to endure.
Russia is, as he said, could be prepared for the NATO attack in five years. The Kremlin isn’t acting on its own. Russia is collaborating along with China, North Korea and Iran. They are expanding their military and capabilities. The Russian war machine increasing its speed and is it is not slowing.
The Chinese navy is growing to 435 vessels by 2030 and Russia’s industrial base is generating 1,500 tanks, 3,500 armoured vehicles as well as 200 Iskander missiles each year, as per Sky News.
“Wishful thinking will not keep us safe. We cannot dream away the danger,” Rutte stated. It is not a way to stay safe. That’s why NATO needs to evolve into more efficient, fairer and more deadly alliance.
Trump’s Billion-Dollar ‘Golden Dome’ Plan Blasts Off
across the Atlantic, US President Donald Trump is pushing missile defense in space literally.
Trump has unveiled a staggering half-trillion dollars “Golden Dome” defence system that is designed to deter threats from all regions of the world. Missile attacks pose the biggest threat to the United States, Trump said in announcing plans to launch American weapons into Space for the very first time, according to The Sun.
Based on the Israeli Iron Dome, the Golden Dome will dwarf it in dimensions, encompassing a country 400 times bigger. It is capable of stopping missiles, even in the event that they launch from the opposite part of the globe, Trump said, promising that it will be operational by at the close of his presidency.
UK’s Tightrope: Battle-Ready but Budget-Crunching
HTML0Then in Britain Premier Minister Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to match his rhetoric with the resources available.
Although he has pledged to reach 2.5 per cent defense spending by 2027, and hopes to increase it to 3percent in the coming Congress, some argue that’s not enough. Defense Secretary John Healey declared the UK army should be “10 times more lethal,” calling for drones, modern munitions and a renewed defense industrial base.
But, Starmer hasn’t committed to Rutte’s demand of 5% -which is a problem in the Chancellor’s office as Rachel Reeves prepares her budget review.
Already, cuts have been flagged by welfare agencies to pay for the soaring defence and health budgets. But Rutte gave the plans of Starmer an enthusiastic thumbs-up at his Downing Street meeting, saying”It’s really creating a huge impression on the streets of Brussels I can assure that to you.
Starmer was, in turn has praised NATO in the same breath, calling it an organization that is the “most effective military alliance the world has ever seen” and said that the forthcoming Hague summit would ensure that it remains that way “for decades to come.”
Europe’s Wake-Up Call: The Clock is Ticking
The 23rd of June at the NATO meeting held in The Hague looms, the clock is going by. The credibility of NATO and possibly its very existenceis contingent on whether its members will commit to protecting their borders, but to the whole continent.
It’s not about pleasing a group of one, Rutte stated in a subtle jab at Trump. It’s about protecting a billion people.
He also said: “America has carried too much of the burden for too long. America’s allies have broad shoulders, and Europe and Canada will do more for our shared security. And that will be backed by America’s rock solid commitment to NATO.”
As Rutte warns about the expanding alliance of Moscow, Tehran, Pyongyang and Beijing The message is clear It’s not an ordinary defence summit. It’s a test for Western determination.