Rutte: NATO must switch to a 'war footing'

(Patria) - NATO chief Mark Rutte warned yesterday that the alliance is not ready for the threats it will face from Russia in the coming years and that it is time to switch to a "war model of thinking".

Rutte recalled that NATO members spent more than 3 percent of GDP on defense during the Cold War and asserted that future spending will have to be much higher than the current two percent, as stipulated by the North Atlantic Alliance for its members.

- Russia is preparing for a long-term confrontation, both with Ukraine and with us. We are not ready for what is coming in four to five years.

It is time to switch to a "war footing" and drastically increase defense production and defense spending - Rutte stated in Brussels.

He emphasized that NATO must be clear about China's ambitions and warned that Beijing is significantly strengthening its forces and harassing Taiwan, finally adding that the current security situation is the worst of his life.