Europe needs higher defense spending and increased production, says NATO
Higher European defense budgets and increased military equipment production are necessary to ensure Europe’s security, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, as reported by Reuters.
“We must spend more to remain secure,” Rutte said. “But we must also quickly ramp up defense production on both sides of the Atlantic. For too long, we have produced far too little,” he added. He specified that ammunition, ships, tanks, aircraft, satellites, and drones are all essential.
European nations are hurrying to increase defense spending and uphold support for Ukraine after U.S. President Donald Trump suspended military aid to Kyiv and cast doubt on Washington’s commitment to its European allies.
German lawmakers will debate major changes to state borrowing rules for defense funding, along with a €500 billion infrastructure fund, beginning on March 13, to pass these measures before the current parliament is dissolved ahead of a new one on March 25.
EU leaders met on Thursday to advocate for joint defense loans for member states and to exempt defense spending from the strict budgetary constraints imposed on other sectors.
Rutte said he met with several defense industry executives and urged them to meet the rising demand.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
