Chief NATO Concerned About Long-term Alliance Security

Secretary - General NATO, Mark Rutte, has said that he currently sees no danger of any Russian attacks on the alliance's territory, but he sees the future of concern.

“There is no room for fear now”, he said in an interview for the dpa news agency, wondering whether NATO countries should be afraid of Russia, but he added that “if we don't spend more and don't produce more, we will have serious problems in four, five, 12x3>.

Russia has largely expanded production for defence purposes, following the start of war in Ukraine.

According to Ruttes, NATO allies are not doing much to combat this.

“We need to increase production for defence, industrial defence base”, he said.

There should be new production lines, additional shifts, because we are not producing enough military equipment to protect ourselves in the long term”.

Rutte also expects pressure from US President-elect Donald Trump, who has threatened NATO withdrawals during the first term if the allies do not spend on protection of 2 percent gross domestic production.

“It will require that we do more. And he's right. We have to do more”, Rutte said.

NATO's <x0). And many European countries have now reached that goal”, Rutte said.

However, he has said that he sees a problem in defence against Russia if more spending does not increase.

Rutte has not said whether NATO allies should spend 3 percent gross domestic production, or even more.

The spending decision is expected to be made at the alliance's next summit, to be held in June.

During the US election campaign, Trump has said he considers it necessary for coalition member states to spend 3 percent of their budget.

There are reports that Trump can raise demand to 5 percent. / REL