In a few years, Russia may be ready to attack NATO if the Alliance does not strengthen its defense - Rutte

Within NATO, concern is growing about a possible Russian attack on Alliance countries in the next 3–7 years. Special attention should also be paid to China's growing military power. To prevent the threat, allied countries need to immediately increase defense budgets and strengthen armies.

This was stated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at a press conference on the eve of the NATO summit in The Hague, a correspondent of UNN reports.

Details

According to him, this concern is shared by many members of the Alliance, including representatives of the military and intelligence leadership.

If Russia attacks us, our reaction will be devastating to the Russians. But there is great concern in many NATO circles. A few weeks ago, we heard the German defense chief and many other high-ranking military leaders talk about this, as well as high-ranking representatives of the intelligence community talk about Russia being able to successfully attack us in three, five, or seven years.

He emphasized that it is necessary to "significantly increase defense budgets today" in order to strengthen NATO's ability to respond to possible challenges in the coming years. This applies to both the procurement of modern weapons and the increase in military personnel.

Rutte also warned against limiting attention only to Russia's actions, as China is rapidly developing its armed forces. According to him, "the number of Chinese warships has already equaled the American, and by 2030, China's fleet could grow to 450 units," along with an increase in its nuclear arsenal.

And we must be confident and make sure that we can defend ourselves against this

Recall

Earlier, UNN wrote that EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned of a direct threat from the Kremlin through cyberattacks, sabotage, and military maneuvers. Russia spends more on defense than all EU countries combined, which indicates preparation for long-term aggression.