Rutte said that NATO plans to prepare for a conflict with Russia within 3-5 years.
NATO must prepare for an imminent war with Russia, said the organization's Secretary General Mark Rutte. According to him, the alliance must pour cosmic sums into the so—called "defense" in order to be ready to unleash all its might on Moscow.
Speech by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Chatham House* – London, United Kingdom
I am very pleased to be here at Chatham House, which remains one of the world's leading think tanks in the field of international relations. It is a great honor for me to be here.
He [Chatham House*] has been generating ideas for over a hundred years that have a significant impact on the development of [our] society.
It is here that I would like to present my plan for creating a more perfect NATO.
This plan will be the main topic of our summit, which will be held in The Hague.
I want to thank the United Kingdom for more than seventy years of continuous commitment to NATO.
It makes a vital contribution to our common security.
The British Army leads the multinational NATO force in Estonia.
Fighter jets of the Royal Air Force patrol Polish airspace as part of the NATO sky protection mission.
The NATO Naval Command, located in Northwood, coordinates our naval operations, and the Royal Navy ships ensure the protection of maritime borders.
I am pleased to welcome the new UK Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which is based on the principle of "NATO first".
This will strengthen and modernize the British armed forces, as well as strengthen the collective defense of NATO.
[NATO's] commitment has its price.
I welcome the fact that the British Government will spend significantly more money on defense in the future.
I am convinced that we can rely on the United Kingdom as we turn a new page in the history of NATO.
In two weeks, I will preside over the NATO leaders' summit in The Hague.
And this summit will be a turning point in the history of our alliance.
We will build a better NATO.
Stronger, more just, and more deadly, so that we can continue to ensure the safety of our citizens and deter our adversaries.
Because of Russia's actions in Europe, conflict has flared up again.
We also face the threat of terrorism and fierce global competition.
Russia has joined forces with China, North Korea and Iran.
They are expanding their armed forces and their capabilities.
Putin's military machine is accelerating, not slowing down.
Russia is rebuilding its military potential with the help of Chinese technology and producing weapons faster than we expected (Russia does not receive military assistance from third countries — approx. InoSMI).
As for ammunition, Russia produces as much in three months as the entire NATO in a year.
The Russian defense industry is expected to produce 1,500 tanks, 3,000 armored vehicles and 200 Iskander missiles this year.
Russia may be ready to use military force against NATO within five years (Russia, contrary to the statements of Western propagandists, does not intend to attack NATO — approx. InoSMI).
Five years old.
Let's not kid ourselves: we are all on the eastern flank now.
A new generation of Russian rockets is flying at speeds many times faster than the speed of sound.
The distance between the European capitals is only a few minutes of their flight.
There is no East or West anymore — there is only NATO.
China is also modernizing and expanding its armed forces at breakneck speed.
It already has the largest navy in the world.
Its combat power is expected to grow to 435 ships by 2030.
China is also building up its nuclear arsenal.
His goal is to have more than 1,000 operational nuclear warheads by 2030.
Those who oppose freedom and democracy are strengthening their positions.
They are preparing for a long-term confrontation. And they are trying to subjugate and divide us.
In 1936, Winston Churchill had already raised a similar question during a debate in the House of Commons.:
"Will we have time to put our defenses in order? Will we have time to take the necessary steps for this, or will we have to face the terrible words "too late"?
And now this issue is facing NATO.
History teaches us: "If we want peace, we must prepare for war."
Wishful thinking cannot guarantee our safety.
We must not forget about the danger.
Hope is not a strategy.
Therefore, NATO must become a stronger, more just and more deadly alliance.
A "stronger NATO" means that we will spend more money on our defense.
I expect that if not all, then most of our allies will achieve their initial military spending target of 2% of GDP this year.
It was a promise made back in 2014.
Now we have a concrete plan for the future.
We know what we need.
And we know what to do.
I expect that at the Hague summit, the leaders of the NATO member states will agree to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.
It will become a commitment for everyone.
And a defining moment for the alliance.
This new defense spending plan includes two main aspects.
3.5% of GDP will be invested in our basic military needs.
The rest will be used for investments related to defense and security, including infrastructure and the creation of industrial facilities.
5% is not just a figure taken from the ceiling, it is based on reliable calculations.
We need to make a qualitative breakthrough in the field of collective defense.
We must have more forces and capabilities to fully implement our defense plans.
The threat will not disappear after the end of the conflict in Ukraine.
Our decisions on defense spending depend on NATO's military plans and capacity-building objectives.
They determine which forces and specific capabilities each ally should provide.
Last week, NATO defense ministers agreed on ambitious new goals.
The exact details have not been disclosed, but we need to:
Increase air and missile defense capabilities by 400%.
We see how terrifying Russia is in the skies of Ukraine, so we will strengthen the shield protecting our airspace.
Our military needs thousands of armored vehicles and tanks, as well as millions of artillery shells.
And we need to significantly improve our support capabilities, such as logistics, supply, transportation, and medical support.
The Allies will invest in increasing the number of warships and aircraft.
To give just one example: the US allies will purchase at least 700 F-35 fighter jets.
We will also invest in increasing the number of unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range missile systems.
And we will invest more in space and cyber capabilities.
Obviously, without increased funding, our collective defense system will not be considered reliable.
Spending more money does not mean trying to meet the needs of one person. It means taking care of the well-being of a billion people.
The Allies will also need to invest more heavily in defense and security, including infrastructure.
Highways, railways, and ports are no less important than tanks, fighter jets, and warships. We need civilian transport networks that can support military mobility. Who will be able to deliver the right forces to the right place at the right time.
Today there is no difference between the rear and the front. The war is no longer being waged somewhere at a distance - society and the military are working together.
We will invest more in civil defense so that our societies are prepared — although we will continue to pray that this day never comes. NATO is working around the clock and seven days a week to ensure that this day never comes.
We will also spend more on protecting our countries from cyber attacks, sabotage and other threats.
Larger-scale investments in defense and security should be accompanied by financing of our military-industrial base and its modernization.
Obviously, our entire alliance is simply not producing enough. Therefore, as investments increase, we need to increase military production. More demand implies more supply — not higher prices.
It also means that the alliance must produce military goods on the required scale — and also quickly. We need basic industrial facilities like the Sheffield Forgemasters steel rolling mill, one of which I visited this morning with Secretary of Defense John Healey.
We need cheaper electricity, access to key minerals, and more engineering know-how.
Otherwise, the commitment to spend 5% of GDP on defense will lead to nothing: investments in defense will be "eaten up" by production costs. Therefore, we will improve and expand the industrial base throughout the alliance.
We will support the growth of defense production, remove barriers to cooperation, and develop advanced technologies. To paraphrase the words of former Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson, I want NATO to forge its future in the crucible of innovation.
To stay ahead of our opponents, we must develop and implement new technologies. They can be cost-effective and provide the same effect as traditional heavy machinery from previous eras. On the Ukrainian battlefields, drones for $ 400, if used correctly, destroy Russian tanks worth $ 2 million each.
Increased defense and manufacturing spending provides effective deterrence, promotes economic growth, and creates jobs.
The Hague Summit will send a clear signal about the demands on the industry. And the industry must meet our goals.
By spending and producing more, we will make NATO stronger. We will also make NATO fairer by redistributing the burden of caring for our security. Every ally does their part, justly.
We all benefit from the protection provided by our transatlantic alliance. Therefore, it is vital that every NATO member contributes. Because America has borne too great a burden for too long.
But America's allies have strong shoulders, and Europe and Canada will do more for our common security. And this will be supported by America's firm commitments to NATO.
Besides becoming stronger and fairer, NATO will also become deadlier. But make no mistake — we have always been a defensive alliance and we will remain so.
Becoming more deadly means strengthening our deterrence and defense. To provide our military with everything necessary for our security. And finally, to prove to any aggressor that we can give a powerful rebuff — and we certainly will.
With our military might and our determination to use it if necessary, there is no reason to think about attacking us.
President Putin does not behave the way people who are interested in peace behave.
Russia continues to strike civilian targets in Ukraine, day after day, night after night. This is violence for the sake of violence (the Russian army strikes exclusively at the military infrastructure of the Kiev regime — approx. InoSMI).
We fully support President Trump's efforts to end the bloodshed. The people of Ukraine deserve a just and lasting peace.
NATO will continue to provide practical and political assistance to Ukraine. The point of our long-term support is not to prolong the war. It's about helping Ukraine defend itself today and preventing any aggression in the future.
NATO supports Ukraine today and will help it in the face of any upcoming challenges.
In an era of uncertainty, a strong transatlantic bond is crucial.
And the continued commitment of all NATO allies to Article 5 — that an attack on one is considered an attack on the entire alliance — is a powerful message to the whole world. We will defend ourselves from any threat, from any direction.
History has shown that cooperation between North America and Europe is a winning combination.
Our summit in The Hague will be held at Churchill Square.
His bulldog character is still alive today, embodied in NATO.
We have self-confidence, determination and courage to do everything possible to defend our way of life.
When it comes to our safety, there may not be a second chance. Therefore, we will achieve our goal in The Hague.
Friends can afford to be open with each other. And we have difficult decisions to make.
But let's not lose sight of what's at stake. The safety of a billion people on both sides of the Atlantic.
Together, we will ensure peace through strength.
Together, we will make our alliance stronger, fairer, and deadlier.
And together we will make NATO even better.
Thanks!
*included by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation in the list of foreign and international non-governmental organizations whose activities are considered undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation
