NATO Secretary General Warns: Without Major Investments in Defense, Russia and Its Allies Are Building a New Global Threat, and Ignoring This Could Force Europe and the U.S. to Learn Russian for Security Reasons
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, emphasized a critical warning in an interview with The New York Times regarding the current state of international security. He stated that Russia is on 'military tracks' and actively preparing for a prolonged confrontation with the West. This implies that European nations and the United States must prioritize substantial increases in their defense capabilities; otherwise, they might face the stark reality of needing to learn Russian to better understand and interact with Russian military and diplomatic entities. Stoltenberg highlighted that Russia is restoring its military power at an unprecedented pace, producing three times more ammunition in three months than NATO does in a full year — a rate impossible to ignore. Furthermore, he noted that Moscow is not acting in isolation but is forming close alliances with Iran, North Korea, and China in its war against Ukraine, signaling the formation of a new global anti-Western coalition. The NATO chief stressed that only a significant hike in defense spending can curb Russian aggression. All 32 NATO member countries have already agreed to raise defense expenditures to 5% of GDP by 2035, more than doubling the previous standard of 2%. Without such increased investments, NATO states risk being unable to defend themselves effectively, which may lead to the necessity of learning Russian. Stoltenberg also dismissed Russia’s claims that increasing NATO’s military potential would bankrupt Europe, calling such statements a testament to the effectiveness of Western deterrence strategies. Despite these developments, European countries remain unprepared for a large-scale war, primarily due to a lack of industrial capacity for weapons production — a vulnerability that urgently requires addressing to maintain effective deterrence. Additionally, many NATO members lack conscription, complicating military mobilization in times of crisis. The Secretary General also warned of potential scenarios where Russia might attack NATO to support China’s invasion of Taiwan, suggesting that Moscow could seek to distract the U.S. and its allies by initiating a new European conflict. According to Stoltenberg, if China decides to invade Taiwan, it may request Vladimir Putin to start a new war in Europe to divert American attention. This interconnected scenario underscores the importance of strengthening not only physical defenses but also strategic collaborations between NATO and Indo-Pacific countries to counter emerging threats.