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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that if Russian leader Vladimir Putin attacks the North Atlantic Alliance now, he will face inevitable defeat, but in a few years, Russia could pose a greater threat.
Rutte said this on Wednesday at a press conference in Brussels ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers.
The NATO chief emphasized that Alliance countries should take warnings from various intelligence agencies about a possible Russian attack on NATO states seriously. At the same time, he assured that if Russia were to attack the Alliance today, it would face defeat.
“If Putin attacks NATO, the response will be devastating. He will lose… Deterrence and defense are very strong,” Rutte said.
However, he stressed that given the current pace of Russia’s military industry, the country could significantly strengthen its forces in 4-5 years. Therefore, NATO must be prepared and focus on three things—supporting Ukraine, increasing defense spending, and developing its defense industry.
“Otherwise, we will have the money, but we won’t be able to defend ourselves. We need to do this. Plus, we must ensure that Ukraine prevails (in the war),” Rutte added.
He also noted that last year, Canada and European NATO members increased their defense investments by nearly 20% compared to 2023.
Meanwhile, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to push European allies to purchase more American weapons for Ukraine amid potential peace negotiations with Moscow.
Read also: Zelenskyy: Without Ukraine, Europe will be totally occupied
