Mark Rutte: NATO Must Double Its Air Defense and Missile Defense Capabilities
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made a bold statement, addressing the Alliance member countries with a call to radically strengthen their defensive capabilities. According to him, in order to effectively counter modern challenges, NATO needs to increase its capabilities in air defense (AD) and missile defense (MD) by at least four times. He announced this during his speech at the prestigious London-based analytical center Chatham House on June 9, which is widely cited by “European Pravda.” In his speech, Rutte emphasized that the threat level from Russia has become even more apparent following recent events, particularly in Ukraine, where Russian forces are conducting systematic attacks using above-ground means aimed at terror and destabilizing Ukrainian society. “Last week, NATO defense ministers approved new ambitious goals for modernizing our defense. While the precise technical details remain classified, we can state that to ensure the safety of our airspaces, we need to increase our AD and MD capabilities by at least 400%,” Rutte underscored. He added that such measures are necessary to overcome current challenges and to create a strong shield that will protect European and American nations. The NATO Secretary General also highlighted the need for significantly strengthening mobile forces and resources. According to him, NATO’s military arsenals must be supplemented with thousands of new armored vehicles and modern tanks, as well as millions of additional artillery shells. This is essential for rapid and effective responses to potential future threats. “We must double our capabilities in logistics, supply, transportation, and medical support of troops. By doing so, NATO members will be investing in strengthening their combat readiness,” Rutte said. He noted that in the coming years, active procurement of modern weapons is planned, including long-range weapons, multi-purpose drones, and high-precision missile systems. In particular, Rutte stressed that the US has already announced its intention to acquire at least 700 new F-35 fighters, which will become a key element in strengthening the Alliance’s defense strategy. These measures are necessary to counter modern challenges and to demonstrate collective defense capabilities. Moreover, NATO is actively investing in space and cyber capabilities, which, considering the development of modern combat strategies, are critical aspects of collective security. Rutte emphasized: “If we do not invest in these new technologies and capacities, our collective defense will be seriously threatened. We must keep pace with the times and strengthen our positions across all areas of defense.” As a reminder, Rutte previously made a similarly emphatic statement, claiming that Russia could attack NATO countries within the next five years. According to estimates by Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, Moscow perceives itself as engaged in a systemic conflict with the West and is preparing for a large-scale war with NATO, which underscores the urgency of increasing defensive capabilities for all allies. Meanwhile, experts warn that increasing military capabilities should be accompanied by a corresponding strengthening of deterrence policies and diplomatic pressure to prevent escalation of conflicts. At the same time, Russia’s direct aggression against Ukraine and its open aspirations to expand its zone of influence highlight how pertinent the idea of enhancing unity and combat readiness of European and American defense forces remains. As “European Pravda” previously reported, experts point out that to deter Kremlin’s aggressive actions, NATO must not only modernize its military potential but also set global security objectives, including more active cooperation in cyberspace and the exploration of space to gain strategic advantages.