NATO's Rutte calls for 400% increase in air defenses to counter Russia, Bloomberg reports
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on alliance members to deliver a "quantum leap" in defense investment as the threat from Russia persists, Bloomberg reported on June 9.
"Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends," Rutte said in prepared remarks for a speech at Chatham House in London. "We must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defense plans in full."
Rutte urged NATO members to boost air and missile defense by 400%, citing lessons from Russia's attacks on Ukraine.
Russia has been repeatedly targeting Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones of different types. Most recently, on June 9, Russia launched 499 drones and missiles during its massive overnight attack across Ukraine.
Kyiv has been consistently calling on its allies to boost air defense support.
"We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies," Rutte said, according to Bloomberg.
Rutte is pushing for NATO countries to adopt a new military spending target of 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2032, alongside an additional 1.5% of GDP for security-related projects such as cyber defense and border control. The proposal comes after U.S. President Donald Trump called on allies to spend 5% of GDP on defense.
Rutte's remarks follow his earlier warning during an April visit to the White House, where he met with Trump. There, he reiterated that NATO views Russia as a "long-term threat" to Euro-Atlantic security.
"We all agree, in NATO, that Russia is the long-term threat to NATO territory, to the whole of the Euro-Atlantic territory," Rutte said after those talks.
