NATO chief warns western allies they are Russia’s next target
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The news: NATO chief Mark Rutte told western allies to step up their defence efforts to prevent a war waged by Russia, stating that such a conflict could be "on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured".
The context: Delivering a speech in Berlin on Thursday, Rutte said that too many allies of the NATO alliance do not feel the urgency of Russia's threat in Europe, adding that they must rapidly increase defence spending and production to prevent a war on the scale of that seen by past generations.
“We are Russia’s next target, and we are already in harm’s way”, Rutte said.
“I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now.”
Rutte said that Russia “has become even more brazen, reckless and ruthless towards NATO and towards Ukraine.”
“During the cold war, President Reagan warned about the aggressive impulses of an evil empire. Today, President Putin is in the empire building business again.”
Rutte praised US President Donald Trump for his efforts on addressing the conflict, saying “he is the only one who can get Putin to the negotiating table.”
Rutte said over two-thirds of the member states of NATO committed to the weapons for Ukraine through the so-called Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL).
"We heard from Australia and New Zealand, who will also contribute to PURL, the first NATO partners to do so. And this means that allies and partners have already committed now over USD4 billion."
The sources: Reuters, The Guardian, ABC
