BRUSSELS, 13 Dec. - (ANA) - Nato general secretary Mark Rutte has warned that the West is “not ready” to deal with the threat of war from Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

 

His warning has come amid concerns over the future course of the war in Ukraine, with the election of Donald Trump as the next US president raising fears that American backing for Kyiv could be withdrawn.

 

While a number of Nato member states – including the Netherlands, where Mr Rutte stepped down as prime minister earlier this year – do not yet meet the 2 per cent of GDP threshold for defence spending, there are also concerns over the failure of Sir Keir Starmer to specify a timescale in relation to his pledge to increase UK spending to 2.5 per cent.

 

In a foreboding speech in Brussels, Mr Rutte said: “Russia is preparing for long-term confrontation, with Ukraine and with us,” adding: “We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years.

 

“It is time to shift to a wartime mindset, and turbocharge our defence production and defence spending.”   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/13 December 2024 - - -