NATO Chief Urges 400% Rise in Europe's Air Defense
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday urged the European allies to make a 'quantum leap' in military spending to deter Russia, which affirms Trump's own longtime message, as the NATO chief called for a whopping 400% increase in the Continent's air and missile defense budget.
'The fact is, we need a quantum leap in our collective defense,' Rutte said before an audience of the London-based think tank Chatham House. 'The fact is, we must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defense plans in full. The fact is, danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends.'
The comments came days after he stated provocatively that Europe must invest heavily in defense now, or learn Russian later.
'If we don't act now, the next three years, we are fine, but we have to start now, because otherwise, from three, four or five years from now, we are really under threat,' he had said. 'I really mean this. Then you have to get your Russian language course out, or go to New Zealand.'
NBC reviews that all of this is happening just ahead of a key NATO meeting later in June:
Trump's call for NATO allies to up their minimum defense spending from 2% to 5% of GDP was once seen as outlandish; but last month Rutte too backed this idea and said he expected it to be adopted at NATO's June 24-25 summit.
On Monday he made a similarly ambitious call. He asked for a '400% increase in air and missile defense' and added that 'militaries also need thousands more armored vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells, and we must double our enabling capabilities, such as logistics, supply, transportation, and medical support.'
Canada is already seeking to demonstrate to Washington and NATO that it is taking significant strides to meet the challenge:
Canada, under pressure to spend more on its military, vowed on Monday to boost funding for the armed forces and hit NATO's 2% military spending target this fiscal year, five years earlier than promised.
Prime Minister Mark Carney also said Canada was likely in future to devote a greater percentage of GDP on defense, given the need to replace outdated equipment and reduce its heavy reliance on Washington.
Canada just committed $60 billion in defense spending to meet NATO's 2% of GDP target.That's based on an estimated $3 trillion GDP for 2025.New jets, vehicles, drones, and Arctic surveillance are coming — but how will we afford it with rising debt and a slowing economy? pic.twitter.com/1ee30Olw7o — Marc Nixon (@MarcNixon24) June 9, 2025
NATO defense ministers are further expected to soon formalize the following increase in spending policies: They've agreed that 3.5% of GDP would be used for 'core defence spending' – such as heavy weapons, tanks, air defence.
1.5% of GDP per year will be spent on defense- and security-related areas such as infrastructure, surveillance, and cyber . However, the full list of flexibility has not yet been negotiated.
'These targets describe exactly what capabilities Allies need to invest in over the coming years,' Rutte told journalists.
Washington could step back from Ukraine support…
If #NATO allies fail to meet the defense spending target, the #US could scale back support for #Ukraine, says @TalaMichelIssa, Chief Business Reporter. #WNewsExtra pic.twitter.com/DBRqVwakAs — Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) June 9, 2025
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Also read: Lavrov Praises Trump for Saying NATO Led To Ukraine Invasion
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