 "Nato members have been scrambling to bolster their defence capabilities since Russia launched its war against Ukraine in February 2022. Reuters")
What Happened
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte called for a “quantum leap” in the alliance’s defence capabilities, including a 400% increase in air and missile defences, to counter the threat from Russia. The remarks come ahead of the upcoming Nato summit in the Netherlands and amid growing pressure from the United States for member states to raise military spending.
Tell Me More
- Rutte’s speech was scheduled for Monday at Chatham House in London.
- He emphasised a need for stronger air and missile defence systems, referencing Russia’s aerial tactics in Ukraine.
- Rutte met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London ahead of the address, marking their second meeting since Starmer came to power in July 2024.
- The Kremlin condemned Rutte’s comments, calling Nato an “instrument of aggression.”
- US President Donald Trump is pushing Nato members to increase their defence spending to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP), up from the current target of 2%.
- US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated Nato allies are nearing consensus on the 5% commitment.
- Britain recently unveiled plans to boost its defence industry with 12 nuclear-powered submarines and six new munitions factories.
- The UK government has pledged to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, though a full timeline for further increases remains unspecified.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe Voices
- “We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies,” the Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.
- “This alliance, we believe, in a matter of weeks, will be committing to five percent — 3.5 percent in hard military and 1.5 percent in infrastructure and defence-related activities,” said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- Nato “is demonstrating itself as an instrument of aggression and confrontation”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
- “Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends,” Rutte was to say on Monday.
- “We must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defence plans in full.” – Mark Rutte
- “Nato has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance.” – Mark Rutte
The Context
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Nato has intensified efforts to bolster its defence posture, especially on its eastern flank. The alliance is also facing growing internal and external pressure to modernize and expand its capabilities.
The upcoming Nato summit in The Hague is expected to set a new benchmark for collective military investment, with significant implications for future defence planning and alliance cohesion.