NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte today demanded a "quantum leap" in air defence, calling for a 400% increase and pushing for a 5% GDP security spending target.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte today delivered a powerful address in London, advocating for a significant overhaul of the alliance's defence capabilities and a substantial increase in member states' financial commitments. In a speech at the Chatham House think tank, Rutte called for a 400% increase in NATO's air and missile defence, deeming it a "quantum leap" essential for maintaining credible deterrence in an increasingly volatile global landscape.
Rutte's urgent appeal comes just weeks before a critical NATO summit in The Hague, scheduled for June 24-25, where these priorities are expected to dominate discussions. According to extracts from his speech, Rutte highlighted the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, stating, "We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies." He stressed that the "danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends," underscoring the long-term necessity of enhanced defence.
Beyond air and missile defence, Rutte is also pushing for a revised defence spending target for NATO members. He is advocating for countries to commit 3.5% of their GDP to core defence spending, with an additional 1.5% allocated to broader security-related expenditures. This ambitious 5% total target aims to meet demands from U.S. President Donald Trump for greater burden-sharing within the alliance. Rutte expressed confidence last month that this 5% target would be agreed upon at the upcoming summit.
The push for increased defence spending resonates across Europe, with several nations already announcing plans to boost their military budgets. The United Kingdom, for instance, has pledged to raise its defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a further increase to 3% at a later date. Germany has also indicated that it will need to recruit an additional 50,000 to 60,000 active soldiers to align with new NATO targets.
The upcoming summit in The Hague, the first under Mark Rutte's leadership as Secretary General, is poised to be a pivotal moment for the alliance, as members grapple with evolving security challenges and the imperative to bolster collective defence.
The United States and Iran have traded fresh strikes, with the U.S. hitting military sites and Iran launching missiles and drones at bases and ship...
A London court has handed down lengthy sentences to activists from campaign group Palestine Action, who raided an Israeli-owned arms company in the U...
Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Jabbe-Bio, has lost her London social housing flat after a UK council seized it. ...
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 tril...
Iran said no final decision has been made on a proposed agreement with Washington, despite suggestions from U.S. President Donald Trump that a deal co...
For decades, the factory taught the battlefield. Ukraine is now reversing the lesson.
The United States is planning to significantly reduce the aircraft and warships it makes available for NATO operations in Europe, according to reports citing two senior European officials.
Italy will significantly increase its defence and security spending next year, but Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni argued that NATO allies should focus less on spending targets and more on adapting to the changing nature of warfare.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that Israel’s military operations in Syria and Lebanon have escalated to a point where they could threaten Türkiye, describing Israel’s actions as “aggression” that poses a broader global risk.
Mexico and South Africa meet in Thursday’s World Cup opener in Mexico City, with both teams approaching the match from very different positions but facing their own pressures.
SpaceX has made history with the largest initial public offering ever in the United States, pricing its shares at $135 each and achieving a market valuation of $1.77 trillion.
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 trillion. Investors flocked to the world’s largest IPO, betting on Elon Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, AI and beyond.
While France hosts next week’s Group of Seven summit, businesses in neighbouring Switzerland have already begun taking precautions, with many shops in Geneva boarded up ahead of a large anti-G7 demonstration expected on Sunday.
Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly’s Monaco Grand Prix podium has been reinstated after Alpine successfully challenged his post-race penalties through a Right of Review request with the FIA.
A London court has handed down lengthy sentences to activists from campaign group Palestine Action, who raided an Israeli-owned arms company in the UK.
Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Jabbe-Bio, has lost her London social housing flat after a UK council seized it.
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 trillion. Investors flocked to the world’s largest IPO, betting on Elon Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, AI and beyond.
Ukraine will increase military wages and expand recruitment of foreign volunteers, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday, as the armed forces face a critical personnel shortage after more than four years of war with Russia.
Poland will receive a new $4 billion loan from the United States through the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme, strengthening defence ties between the two NATO allies as Warsaw continues a major military modernisation drive.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment