13 Dec 2025 - 09:11
The Kabul Tribune (KT) - NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has warned that alliance members must urgently step up military preparedness, cautioning that Russia could be ready to attack NATO territory within five years, according to international media reports.
Speaking in Berlin on Thursday, Rutte said Europe has entered a dangerous phase, arguing that Russia’s war in Ukraine shows Moscow’s willingness to use large-scale military force. “Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great grandparents endured,” he was quoted as saying.
Rutte welcomed NATO members’ agreement to raise defense spending to five percent of gross domestic product by 2035, but stressed that increased budgets alone are not enough. He urged alliance countries to adopt what he called a “wartime mindset,” warning against complacency and delays in strengthening defenses.
According to the report, Rutte said Russia’s economy is now largely geared toward war production, which could enable Moscow to rebuild and redirect its military power faster than many expect. While NATO’s defenses remain strong for now, he warned that time is not on the alliance’s side.
The NATO chief also pointed to the human cost of Russia’s war in Ukraine, claiming that more than one million Russian troops have been killed since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. He said President Vladimir Putin’s readiness to accept such losses raises serious concerns about future aggression.
