In his first speech to the European Parliament since taking office, NATO secretary general Mark Rutte warned that if European defense spending doesn’t rise, Europeans might need to “get out their Russian language courses or go to New Zealand,” according to Politico.
Rutte also called for raising the alliance’s defense spending target beyond its current benchmark of 2% of each country’s GDP—a goal that only 24 of the bloc’s 32 members currently meet.
He highlighted one of his priorities, to “bring NATO and the EU closer together” to counter an ongoing Russian “destabilization campaign” and address other threats, including those from Iran and China.
Noting that Europe is currently “neither at war nor at peace,” Rutte stressed that increased investment in defense “cannot wait,” adding, “We need to boost the resilience of our societies and critical infrastructure.”