NATO secretary general calls for 400% increase in alliance’s air defense

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is planning to call for a 400% increase in the alliance’s air defense capabilities, which will “protect” the alliance from Russia, the organization’s press service said in a statement.

NATO members are making efforts to strengthen their defense capabilities following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends. We must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defense plans in full. Our militaries also need thousands more armored vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells,” NATO’s secretary general said.

Earlier, Rutte announced at a press conference following the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels that he had approved the most significant expansion of the alliance’s military capabilities since the Cold War. He confirmed that at the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24-25, a “proposal” has been made to increase the military spending cap for alliance countries from the current 2% of GDP to 5% by 2030.