NATO defense ministers gathered in Brussels on Thursday to discuss capabilities and targets, said Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“Today is really crucial because we will decide on capability targets, and this is an important building block for deciding on the money we will spend on defense in the coming years,” Rutte said in a statement ahead of the meeting.
Hoping to agree on targets, Rutte reiterated the need for the Alliance to be able to defend itself by preparing for a possible war and deterring any possible attacks.
“We have to invest in our air defense systems. We have to invest in our long-range missiles. We have to invest in our maneuverable ground formations and command and control systems. All of this has to happen,” he added, signaling the need for “huge investments” across NATO.
Rutte also confirmed that he would present a defense spending proposal and a new plan during a press conference at the end of the meeting.
“What we will decide in The Hague is how much we will spend on defense in the future. The new defense investment plan, of course, is based on what we need in terms of hard capabilities. That is why it is so important that we decide on the capability goals today. That is how you will assess the gaps that we have,” he explained.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also reiterated the need for every country to spend on defense.
“Every country has to contribute at that five percent level in recognition of the nature of the threat. It cannot be about the flags that we like. It has to be about the formations that we have. That is the force that actually deters,” Hegseth said.
Noting that peace can be achieved through strength and deterrence, he also stressed that countries should not rely on the United States.
