Rutte Expresses Optimism for Increased Defense Spending
(MENAFN) On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed "optimism" regarding the potential agreement among member states to set a new defense spending target of 5 percent of GDP.
This move is in line with U.S. expectations for a stronger European contribution to collective defense efforts.
Ahead of a NATO summit in The Hague, Rutte acknowledged that while such a financial commitment would pose political challenges for numerous countries, the rising threat from Russia and global instability leaves no viable alternative.
He emphasized that the necessity for increased defense spending has become more urgent than ever.
Rutte reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to NATO and Article 5, while also noting that Canada and European allies are expected to increase their defense budgets to meet the level of U.S. contributions.
He stressed, "There is absolute clarity that the United States is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article Five. And yes, there is also an expectation, which will be fulfilled today, that the Canadians and the Europeans will speed up their spending, making sure that we are able to defend ourselves against the Russians and others."
When asked whether concerns raised by Spain could hinder a potential agreement at the summit, Rutte dismissed the possibility, stating that it would not derail the discussions.
In response to questions about a recent controversy involving a private text message he had sent, which was later made public by U.S. President Donald Trump, Rutte stated that he had no objections to the message being released. He described it as "a statement of fact."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
