LONDON — The NATO alliance is facing a critical juncture as its Secretary-General emphasized the urgent need for a significant enhancement of its air and missile defense capabilities, citing the mounting threat from Russia. During a visit to London, he warned that Russia could potentially be prepared to launch an attack on NATO within a five-year timeframe.
The Secretary-General outlined his expectations that the 32 NATO member countries would commit to substantially increased military expenditure during an upcoming summit in the Netherlands. In his address at the Chatham House think tank, he highlighted the alarming rate at which Russia is producing ammunition, which is outpacing the larger NATO bloc. This, he said, necessitates a “quantum leap” in NATO’s collective defense efforts.
“We must face the reality that wishful thinking won’t protect us,” he emphasized. “We need to dispel any illusions of safety and recognize that hope doesn’t constitute a strategy. Therefore, NATO must evolve into a more formidable and equitable alliance.”
The Secretary-General’s proposal includes raising military spending to 3.5% of the economic output, with an additional 1.5% allocated for “defense-related expenditures” such as infrastructure like roads, bridges, airfields, and sea ports. He expressed confidence that the proposed target would secure agreement among members at the forthcoming summit in The Hague, scheduled for June 24-25.
Currently, 22 out of the 32 NATO members have either met or surpassed the existing target of spending 2% of GDP on defense, a benchmark established in 2014. He expects the remaining members to achieve this target by the end of the year.
The revised expenditure goal aligns with a demand previously articulated by U.S. President Donald Trump, who called for NATO countries to allocate 5% of GDP to defense. Trump’s administration has historically questioned NATO’s value, criticizing European members for not contributing sufficiently to their defense.
Acknowledging the U.S.’s disproportionate contribution, he remarked, “America has shouldered too much of the responsibility for too long.” He also emphasized the urgency for a dramatic increase in NATO’s military hardware, advocating for thousands more armored vehicles and millions more artillery shells, alongside a quadrupling of air and missile defense capabilities.
Reflecting on Russia’s tactics in Ukraine, he said, “The terror of aerial attacks underscores the necessity to bolster the defenses securing our skies.” He further warned of the possibility that “Russia could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years,” adding, “We are all on the eastern flank now.”
In parallel discussions, he commended British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the U.K.’s commitment to raising its defense budget—a plan that envisions defense spending reaching 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3% by 2034.
Following Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, NATO members, particularly those in Europe led by the U.K. and France, have been reassessing their defense strategies to align with the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. The U.K. recently announced an ambitious defense overhaul, unveiling plans to develop new nuclear-powered submarines and ready its army for potential European conflict. These initiatives mark the most significant realignment of British defense policies since the dissolution of the Soviet Union over three decades ago.