NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday called on allies to step up defense efforts to prevent a war waged by Russia that could be “on the scale of the war our grandfathers and great-grandfathers lived through.”
In a speech in Berlin, Rutte said that too many military alliance allies do not feel the urgency of the Russian threat in Europe and that they must rapidly increase defense spending and production to prevent a war on the scale seen in previous generations.
“We are Russia’s next target. I’m afraid too many of them are acting quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It’s not. The time for action is now,” Rutte said.
“The conflict is at our door. Russia brought war back to Europe. And we have to be ready,” he added.
Russia could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years, Rutte said.
