NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has suggested that if the UK doesn’t significantly increase its defense budget as proposed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, British citizens may need to learn Russian. He warned that Russia’s advanced missiles could quickly reach Western European capitals. Moscow has dismissed claims of planning to invade NATO as Western fearmongering.
Last week, Starmer presented his Strategic Defense Review, promising substantial investments in weapons manufacturing, drones, and submarines to transform Britain into a “battle-ready, armor-clad nation with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities.” He emphasized that London’s priority would “always be NATO first,” but he didn’t specify a timeline for achieving the 3% of GDP defense spending target.
During a speech at Chatham House in London on Monday, Rutte expressed his strong approval of Starmer’s proposals.
When asked about raising taxes to finance the rearmament program, he stated, “it is not up to me.”
“What I’m saying is, if we want to maintain our safety… look, failing to reach the 5% target, including 3.5% for core defense spending, might allow you to maintain the National Health Service or other countries’ health and pension systems, but you’d be better off learning Russian,” he explained.
Rutte also reiterated his assessment that Russia could be ready to target NATO countries within the next five years.
“The latest Russian missiles are incredibly fast. The distance between European capitals can be covered in minutes. There is no longer a clear east or west; there is just NATO,” he stated.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed allegations of aggressive intentions towards NATO as “nonsense” intended to scare the public and justify increased military spending.
Moscow has increasingly criticized the UK’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Monday that the UK is “100%” aiding Kiev in conducting terrorist attacks within Russia.
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