NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on allied countries to to increase military spending and adopt a “war mentality” to prevent a situation similar to that in Ukraine: “What is happening in Ukraine could happen here too. It is time (…) to increase our defense spending,” said Rutte during a conference organized by the think tank Canegie Europe.
Rutte proposes cutting spending on social security
NATO leader suggests that citizens of member states must “accept sacrifices.” To this end, Rutte proposes that less is spent in other social areas: “European countries easily spend a quarter of their national income on pensions, healthcare and social security systems. We need a small fraction of that money to make our Defense much stronger and preserve our way of life.” “In Europe, we are 10% of the world’s population, We spend 50% of all the world’s spending on social security. So, in that sense, I think we have some room for maneuver,” he added.
“Insufficient” spending
Currently, countries allocate 2% of their GDP to military spending, an amount that the president considers “insufficient” and has recalled that in the Cold War more than 3% was allocated.
Since the Ukrainian war began, NATO members have progressively increased their defense spending. However, not everyone allocates the same money. In 2024, of the 32 members, 23 have met the expected minimum of 2% and even some like Poland have surpassed it. However, other countries such as Spain or Italy are in line because they don’t reach the minimum.
Although 2023 was the year in which the most money was invested in defense Since 2009, Rutte has insisted: “If we do not spend more together now to prevent war, we will pay a much higher price to fight it, not billions, but trillions of euros.”
Furthermore, the NATO leader insists on the importance of spending according to the latest technologies so that the armed forces are capable of confronting modern threats.
NATO members have discussed raising the spending threshold and it is expected that in summer 2025 The final decision will be announced at a leaders’ summit in The Hague.
