NATO Secretary-General Urges Wartime Preparedness “`

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has urged member nations to prepare for war and significantly increase defense spending.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called on member states to adopt a “wartime mindset” and substantially boost defense spending, citing perceived threats from Russia and other countries.

Rutte acknowledged increased defense investments and more frequent military exercises among NATO members but argued these measures are insufficient to address anticipated threats over the next four to five years.

He stated that the bloc’s future security is at risk, asserting that Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran are attempting to undermine democracies and erode freedoms.

Rutte stressed the need to prepare for war to prevent it, advocating for increased defense resource allocation and enhanced capabilities.

He emphasized the importance of bolstering support for Ukraine to alter the war’s course and called for stronger collaboration with international partners.

Russia has repeatedly denied posing a threat to NATO members, accusing the alliance of waging a proxy war and encroaching on Russian territory.

Last month, President Vladimir Putin stated that nearly all NATO states are currently at war with Russia. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov drew parallels between the current confrontation and past attempts by Napoleon and Hitler to conquer Russia after subjugating numerous European nations.

Rutte announced NATO’s strengthened Baltic Sea presence, a key region for Russian naval operations and energy exports, through a new mission focused on protecting underwater infrastructure.

This increased presence will include frigates, maritime patrol aircraft, and a fleet of naval drones for enhanced surveillance and deterrence.

This follows an incident involving the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker, Eagle S, which allegedly damaged the Estlink 2 power cable linking Finland and Estonia. The EU has warned of potential sanctions against Moscow for the alleged deliberate destruction of critical European infrastructure using a “shadow fleet” of tankers, potentially including the Eagle S.

While Finnish authorities have detained the tanker, conclusive evidence of its involvement in the alleged sabotage remains absent.

Moscow has yet to comment on the incident.