NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed the press ahead of the NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Brussels, outlining key priorities as the Alliance prepares for the NATO Summit in The Hague this June.
Strengthening Defence Spending and Capabilities
The Secretary General emphasized the importance of defence investment, noting that while NATO has robust plans in place to safeguard its one billion citizens, further financial commitments are necessary.
“We are already moving in the right direction,” Rutte stated. “European Allies and Canada have contributed more than 700 billion additional U.S. dollars for defence since the 2014 Defence Investment Pledge. In 2024 alone, NATO Allies in Europe and Canada invested 485 billion U.S. dollars—a nearly 20% increase from 2023.”
Rutte highlighted that two-thirds of NATO Allies are now meeting or exceeding the 2% GDP defence spending target, with even more expected to reach this level in 2025. However, he stressed that further investment is required to ensure NATO has the necessary people and equipment to deter and defend effectively.
Enhancing Defence Industrial Capacity
NATO Defence Ministers will also focus on strengthening transatlantic defence industrial capacity. Rutte announced discussions on updating NATO’s Defence Production Action Plan to accelerate defence manufacturing.
“In recent years, we have seen a significant rise in defence production across the Alliance,” he said. “But we need to go further and faster. There is no time to waste.”
Support for Ukraine and Burden Sharing
The Secretary General reaffirmed NATO’s steadfast commitment to Ukraine, highlighting that since 2022, NATO Allies have provided 99% of Ukraine’s military aid.
“At the Washington Summit, Allies pledged 40 billion euros in security assistance for Ukraine in 2024,” Rutte noted. “Not only have they met this commitment—they have exceeded it, providing over 50 billion euros, with more than half coming from European Allies and Canada.”
Rutte emphasized that this effort aligns with calls for a more balanced distribution of security assistance. “I agree with President Trump that we must equalize security assistance to Ukraine,” he said. “But to truly shift the trajectory of the conflict, we need to do even more. A stronger Ukraine on the battlefield means a stronger position at the negotiating table and a greater chance for lasting peace.”
NATO Defence Ministers will meet with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas in the NATO-Ukraine Council to further discuss support for Ukraine.
Countering Russian Destabilization Efforts
The Secretary General also addressed Russia’s ongoing hybrid threats against NATO Allies, including sabotage, assassinations, and attacks on critical infrastructure.
“NATO is responding,” Rutte affirmed. “Through operations like ‘Baltic Sentry’ in the Baltic Sea and increased vigilance across the board, we are taking action to protect our Allies and deter further aggression.”
Looking Ahead
Rutte welcomed the United Kingdom’s leadership in hosting today’s Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting and expressed anticipation for further collaboration with newly appointed U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
As NATO Defence Ministers convene, discussions will also include NATO’s new Commercial Space Strategy and further strengthening Integrated Air and Missile Defence.
“The decisions we take now will shape our collective security for years to come,” Rutte concluded. “We are making real progress, but we must continue to step up to meet the challenges of an increasingly dangerous world.”
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