NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned today that Europe needs to allocate "much more resources" for defense.
"It is time to switch to a war mindset," the alliance's secretary general said in his first major speech since taking office in October.
Rute called for the support of public opinion and a sense of sacrifice to "prevent the next big war on NATO territory."
Rute's appeal comes at a time when Ukrainian forces are retreating on the battlefield in the face of a larger and better equipped Russian army.
According to him, in the war in Ukraine, more than 10.000 people are killed or injured every Sunday on both sides.
"Danger is approaching us at high speed. What is happening in Ukraine can happen here as well," Rute said, adding that there is no immediate military threat to NATO, but that this does not prevent Russia from preparing for "a long-term conflict with Ukraine and with 32 NATO countries".
According to him, the Russian economy is on a war footing, while in Europe countries are reluctant to spend more on increasing their defense capabilities.
"In addition to Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are working to weaken North America and Europe. We should remain sober about China's ambitions to significantly increase its forces, including its nuclear weapons, without limits and non-transparently," Rute said.
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