At the meeting of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET), Mark Rutte emphasized that security must be increased in the current dangerous time, and for this purpose it is necessary to strengthen the cooperation between the European Union and NATO.
We are not at war, but at the moment we cannot live in peace either
– he said.
More investment must be made in defense, emphasis must be placed on defense policy, and defense capacity must be increased. The resilience of societies and vital infrastructures must be strengthened – emphasized the NATO Secretary General.
“We need to spend more, spend better and produce morek” – said Rutte, then added: the purpose of this is not to provoke war, but to prevent it.
Protection is not free, security is not free. More needs to be invested in security, more needs to be spent on strengthening the defense capacity. The previously established
an expenditure of two percent compared to GDP is “not nearly enough” to guarantee protection
– he warned. Production must be increased, the production of ships, tanks, drones, airplanes and other military equipment must be accelerated, the former Dutch Prime Minister emphasized.
He emphasized: the involvement of non-EU partners in the EU’s defense efforts is vital for Europe. Transatlantic defense industrial cooperation makes all parties stronger at a time when China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are also increasing their cooperation in the field of industry, including the military industry – pointed out Rutte, and then said: “we cannot afford to waste more money and time.“
The NATO Secretary General emphasized: Russia’s war against Ukraine continues, and Moscow is also conducting more and more destructive campaigns against the military alliance and EU member states with cyber attacks, assassination attempts and sabotage actions.
Our countries are the targets of hostile actions in the areas of cyber attacks, sabotage actions, espionage, disinformation, and the use of migration as a political tool.
– he said.
It must be made clear that acts of sabotage and other attacks will not go unanswered, Rutte stated, and then said: In addition to Russia’s destabilization campaign, China, North Korea and Iran also lined up. According to his words, there are several other threats, among which the NATO Secretary General listed terrorism, the development of nuclear weapons and climate change.
Cover image credit: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
Source: www.portfolio.hu
