Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister and current leader of the transatlantic military alliance during a pivotal period for global security, is set to meet U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London. His speech precedes a significant summit in The Hague later this month, which will signal U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-engagement with NATO.
Allies are expected to agree on a new Trump-supported spending target of 5 percent of GDP — 3.5 percent dedicated to military expenditures and 1.5 percent for other yet-to-be-defined defense-related activities. This represents a substantial increase from the existing 2 percent target.
Recently, NATO defense ministers approved new capability targets, introducing new requirements for military equipment to execute the alliance’s regional defense plans against a possible Russian assault.
Although specifics are classified, the priorities focus on air and missile defense, large land force formations, long-range capabilities, and logistics.
Later on Monday, Rutte will advocate for a significant boost in air defense, according to press notes.
NATO allies require “a 400 percent increase in air and missile defense … Our militaries also need thousands more armored vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells, and we must double our enabling capabilities, such as logistics, supply, transportation, and medical support,” he will state.
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