Mark Rutte. Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images
Russia is attempting to weaken democracies and undermine the freedom of NATO Allies with the support of China, North Korea and Iran. This was stated on Wednesday by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a meeting of the Chiefs of Defence of the Alliance in Brussels. This was reported by EFE.
“Russia seeks to weaken our democracies and undermine our freedom. And it is not alone: China, North Korea and Iran are with it,” Rutte said.
Security threats and NATO’s response
Mark Rutte stressed that future security depends on decisive action, as Russia’s war against Ukraine continues and the Kremlin’s hostile actions against NATO countries are only intensifying. He referred to cyberattacks, assassination attempts, acts of sabotage and other “destabilising campaigns” by Russia.
The security outlook remains worrying, Rutte said, given other challenges such as terrorism, nuclear proliferation, disinformation and climate change.
However, he assured that NATO Allies have a clear understanding of what needs to be done. One of the key priorities is to increase investment in defence.
“To avoid war, we must be prepared for it. It’s time to move to a military strategy that includes strengthening our defence, spending more on it and increasing our defence capabilities,” Rutte said.
Support for Ukraine and the global implications
The NATO Secretary General also stressed the need to increase assistance to Ukraine in order to change the course of the war. “We all want the war to end, but above all, we want the peace to last,” he said.
The President of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Roy Bauer, noted that the Kremlin had not achieved any of its strategic goals in Ukraine, and that Russia’s losses reached 700,000 killed and wounded.
“Ukrainians are fighting for freedom every day. Their fight is not just a slogan, it is a reality,” Bauer added.
He also expressed concern about China’s role in international security. The admiral noted that China does not demonstrate transparency in its military plans, in particular with regard to nuclear capabilities, and is an important ally of Russia in the war.
“The best response to these challenges is to remain united and firm. NATO and its partners are doing just that,” concluded Bauer.
