NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte opened a key meeting of the Alliance’s defense ministers in Brussels today with a clear message: European countries and Canada must urgently increase their defense budgets and kick-start production in the arms industry.
The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte, said on Thursday before the meeting of defense ministers of the NATO member countries in Brussels that this meeting will focus on increasing the defense spending of European countries and Canada. TASR informs about it according to the report of the Sky News station.
- The NATO meeting will focus on increasing defense spending.
- The aim is to strengthen the defense industry and the defense of the Alliance.
- Britain promised new military aid to Ukraine.
- According to Rutte, Ukraine is strong, but faces Russian attacks on infrastructure.
- The European Parliament approved a loan of 90 billion euros to Ukraine.
Increasing defense spending
“(The meeting) It will mainly be about the implementation of what we agreed on in The Hague (at last year’s NATO summit, note TASR) – increasing defense spending in Canada and Europe within the entire Alliance and ensuring that the defense industry produces on the scale we need to be able to deter and defend ourselves,” Rutte said.
The head of NATO also commented on the “good news” from British Defense Minister John Healey about Britain’s new aid to Ukraine.
Rutte: Ukraine is very strong
According to Rutte, this is an important step because Ukraine is very strong, defends itself, but continues to be exposed to attacks on civilian infrastructure and civilians.
“So this is important. But overall, you see a picture of Canada and Europe taking more responsibility, spending billions more on defense, strengthening the defense industry and keeping Ukraine strong,” he said.
The European Parliament approved the loan for Ukraine
He added that at today’s meeting they will evaluate the situation and “outline” the direction for the summit in The Hague.
Thursday’s meeting in Brussels will take place a day after MEPs approved a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine on Wednesday. This loan should serve as financial assistance for the next two years. Ukraine has repeatedly been the target of Russian attacks this winter targeting its energy infrastructure. As a result of these attacks, many Ukrainians are without electricity, heat and water supplies.
