After years of U.S. complaints that Europe wasn’t spending enough on defense, the tide is shifting. Within NATO, there’s now a “clear shift in thinking.”
Europe has begun taking more responsibility for its own defense, and after the summit in The Hague, everything changed, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said at a joint news conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Bavarian state premier Markus Söder at the Munich Security Conference.
“We have felt a clear convergence of views and unity. Europe is indeed getting stronger and taking on more responsibility for leadership within NATO,” Rutte said.
He also addressed Russia’s war in Ukraine, citing what he called Russia’s “shocking losses”:
“Russia is taking enormous losses: 35,000 killed in December and 30,000 in January. They want to look like a fearsome bear, but in reality their advance resembles the movement of a garden snail. So let’s not fall for Russian propaganda.”
His comments came after a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, where he said allies expressed broad support for maintaining and increasing aid to Kyiv.
Rutte stressed that closer cooperation between NATO and the European Union has strengthened collective efforts, especially in support of Ukraine.
“I think cooperation between NATO and the EU has probably never been as strong as it is today,” he said.
According to Telegraf, this year’s Munich Security Conference runs from February 13 to 15. Organizers expect about 200 government representatives from around 120 countries, including nearly 60 heads of state and government, 56 foreign ministers and more than 30 defense chiefs. Leaders of more than 40 international organizations are also set to participate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already arrived. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also expected to attend.
The Kremlin has issued a sharp response to Rutte’s remarks about the risk of a NATO war with Russia.
During his recent visit to Ukraine, Rutte said NATO would continue to support the country in its confrontation with the Russian Federation.
