The Secretary -General of NATO Mark Rutte said that members of the military alliance should make a “quantum jump” in their collective defense In the midst of the ongoing threat from Russia.
“The danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends,” Rutte is expected to say in a speech at the Chatham House in London today (9.6.2025). “We need to have more strengths and opportunities to fully implement our defensive plans.” The former prime minister of the Dutch will also argue that NATO members need a 400% increase in air and missile defense.
“We see in Ukraine how Russia transports terror from above, so we will boost the shield that protects our skies,” he is expected to say, according to prepared observations of his office.
Rutte wants NATO countries to support a new 3.5% military spending target of national production by 2032 at a meeting later this month, as well as 1.5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) spent on security -related projects, such as cyber control.
This call follows US President Donald Trump’s demand that NATO members should bind 5% of GDP for defense. NATO’s new goal is being examined by the UK Prime Minister Kir Starmer, who is about to meet Route today.
Starmer has already pledged to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with “ambition” reaching 3% of national production by 2034, but now is under pressure to go further, given Britain’s desire to be NATO’s leading power.