NATO Secretary General rallies member states to ramp collective defense against Russia

NATO’s new boss Mark Rutte said on Monday that the alliance needs a total overhaul in how it prepares for war, telling leaders that they must go way beyond what’s already on the table if they’re serious about defending against Russia.

Speaking at Chatham House in London, Rutte said that NATO is not ready enough and that countries need to act now, because “danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends.”

According to prepared remarks shared by his office, Rutte warned, “We must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defense plans in full.” His entire message was based on getting members to massively scale up their military commitment.

Rutte, who used to be the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, now leads NATO and is asking every country in the alliance to increase spending on defense to 3.5% of GDP by 2032, with another 1.5% of GDP on cyber, border control, and other related areas.

That 5% total demand echoes what President Donald Trump has been asking for: no more free rides for NATO countries. Trump has already said clearly that he wants everyone to commit 5% of GDP to defense, and Rutte’s plan is widely seen as a direct response.

Leaders prepare for summit vote on new NATO defense spending

The UK’s Keir Starmer is under heavy pressure ahead of his meeting with Rutte in London. Starmer has already promised to get defense spending to 2.5% by 2027 and says he wants to hit 3% by 2034, but with this new push from both Trump and Rutte, he’s now being pushed to go higher.

Starmer’s office said the meeting will focus on making sure “all allies meet their stated pledges in support of our collective defense.” But Starmer has also said other countries that haven’t even reached 2% should show how they’ll step up before the UK goes further.

NATO ministers have already started moving in this direction. During a defense meeting in Brussels, they signed off on a new classified document known as the capability targets—a detailed breakdown of what weapons and troops each country is expected to contribute to NATO’s military plans.

This includes a five-times increase in ground-based air defense systems, a move that reflects how seriously the alliance is taking Russia’s aerial attacks in Ukraine.

Rutte said the upgrade in air defense is non-negotiable. “We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies,” he said. And to make that happen, he’s calling for a 400% increase in air and missile defense systems across the alliance.

Rutte dismisses Trump-focused narrative and pushes for summit consensus

The summit will only have one real working session, and it’s all about money. Rutte said he wants the event to make a statement, but he rejected the idea that it’s all about pleasing Trump. “We don’t have to do this because of an audience of one,” Rutte said. “We have to do this to keep one million people safe.” That was his way of saying this isn’t about politics—it’s about survival.

Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Defense Secretary, was also in Brussels for the meetings and backed Trump’s position. “Every shoulder has to be to the plow,” Hegseth said, explaining that the U.S. expects everyone to spend more. He also mentioned that talks are ongoing with “our friends in the UK,” signaling that the White House still sees Britain as a key partner but expects more from them too.

Starmer hasn’t committed to the 5% yet. But reports say the UK’s Defense Ministry has formally asked him to agree to the increase. He hasn’t said yes, but Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that he’s actively considering the request. On Thursday, Starmer’s spokesman made it clear the UK wants to see lagging countries step up first.

Back in Brussels, Rutte told reporters that support for the 3.5% proposal is growing. “We’re really close,” he said, and added he has “total confidence” that a deal will be reached when leaders meet in The Hague later this month.

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