The chief of NATO cautioned that members of the military alliance were not investing enough in preparation for the possibility of a future battle with Russia, saying it was necessary to “shift to a wartime mindset.”
Mark Rutte, the secretary general, stated that Moscow was “preparing for long-term confrontation with Ukraine and with us” and that the security situation was at its worst in his lifetime.
In his first significant speech since taking office as secretary general in October, he urged members to “turbocharge” their defense spending, saying, “We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years.”
He had previously implied that the US might not defend NATO partners who were not spending enough, and his remarks come only weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
