NATO is confronting what its secretary general described as the most dangerous and complicated security situation in a generation, while urging member states to increase defense spending.
Mark Rutte made the remarks Wednesday during the Annual Lecture at the Ditchley Foundation in Oxfordshire. He said NATO’s collective defense would not remain credible without greater investment in security.
Rutte stressed the need for stronger European contributions within the alliance, saying increased defense spending was necessary to protect the way of life of NATO members.
He said US allies have the capacity to take on greater responsibilities. Rutte noted that European NATO members and Canada increased their defense spending by almost 20% in 2025 alone.
He also emphasized that NATO would continue to operate as a transatlantic alliance, describing this principle as central to what he called “NATO 3.0” and the alliance’s efforts to rebalance security responsibilities.
According to Rutte, maintaining security across Europe, the Atlantic and the Arctic should remain key NATO priorities and would also play an important role in protecting US long-term security.
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