NATO leader sends warning to Putin
Mark Rutte has stated that the US-led military alliance would defeat the Russian army today; however, he emphasized the need for increased defense spending for the future. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that the US-led military alliance would deliver a crushing response to Moscow if it were to attack any NATO member states.
In recent years, senior officials from European NATO countries, including Rutte, have suggested that Russia is developing aggressive strategies toward the alliance. However, Putin has dismissed these claims as “nonsense” and a tactic to justify increased military expenditures.
During a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Rutte stated, “At the moment, if Putin would attack NATO, the reaction will be devastating. He will lose. So, let him not try it, and he knows this. The deterrence and defense is very strong.” He acknowledged, though, that NATO must enhance its defense spending to be adequately prepared in four or five years.
Rutte called on member states to make “some difficult decisions this year about… defense spending, doing much, much more than the 2% we pledged.” He pointed out that while the West possesses “fantastic” arms manufacturers, “they are not producing enough,” a situation that needs immediate attention.
The discussion about possible Russian aggression was sparked by a report from Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service released on Tuesday. The document suggests that within five years of halting or freezing the Ukraine conflict, Moscow could be poised to launch a significant assault on Europe, assuming NATO’s defense spending remains unchanged.
According to the intelligence report, “Russia is likely to be more willing to use military force… if it perceives NATO as militarily weakened or politically divided,” and it noted that “this is particularly true if Russia assesses that the US cannot or will not support the European NATO countries in a war.”
Last month, Rutte similarly urged NATO members to “shift to a wartime mindset” to “prevent war.”
He also warned those unwilling to increase defense funding that they might as well “get out your Russian language courses or go to New Zealand.”
In December, Rutte proposed that European countries consider reallocating some welfare funds to bolster their military budgets.
On Tuesday, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service claimed that Ukrainian special services, with Western backing, were planning a false-flag operation in the Baltic Sea involving Russian-made naval mines, aiming to provoke a direct military confrontation between NATO and Moscow.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
In recent years, senior officials from European NATO countries, including Rutte, have suggested that Russia is developing aggressive strategies toward the alliance. However, Putin has dismissed these claims as “nonsense” and a tactic to justify increased military expenditures.
During a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Rutte stated, “At the moment, if Putin would attack NATO, the reaction will be devastating. He will lose. So, let him not try it, and he knows this. The deterrence and defense is very strong.” He acknowledged, though, that NATO must enhance its defense spending to be adequately prepared in four or five years.
Rutte called on member states to make “some difficult decisions this year about… defense spending, doing much, much more than the 2% we pledged.” He pointed out that while the West possesses “fantastic” arms manufacturers, “they are not producing enough,” a situation that needs immediate attention.
The discussion about possible Russian aggression was sparked by a report from Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service released on Tuesday. The document suggests that within five years of halting or freezing the Ukraine conflict, Moscow could be poised to launch a significant assault on Europe, assuming NATO’s defense spending remains unchanged.
According to the intelligence report, “Russia is likely to be more willing to use military force… if it perceives NATO as militarily weakened or politically divided,” and it noted that “this is particularly true if Russia assesses that the US cannot or will not support the European NATO countries in a war.”
Last month, Rutte similarly urged NATO members to “shift to a wartime mindset” to “prevent war.”
He also warned those unwilling to increase defense funding that they might as well “get out your Russian language courses or go to New Zealand.”
In December, Rutte proposed that European countries consider reallocating some welfare funds to bolster their military budgets.
On Tuesday, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service claimed that Ukrainian special services, with Western backing, were planning a false-flag operation in the Baltic Sea involving Russian-made naval mines, aiming to provoke a direct military confrontation between NATO and Moscow.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
