Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
He fears the war could be “on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured”.
A stark warning from NATO’s secretary-general echoed through Berlin on Thursday, as he appealed for urgent action from member states.
Speaking to policymakers and defence officials, Mark Rutte cautioned that Europe may be edging toward a level of conflict not seen in generations.
He argued that the threat posed by Russia is neither abstract nor distant.
“We are Russia’s next target,” he said according to Reuters.
Growing alarm
Addressing the audience in the German capital, Rutte said the latest assessments should leave no room for hesitation.
According to Reuters, he described a worrying disconnect between the seriousness of the moment and the pace at which many NATO governments are strengthening their defences.
“I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now,” he said.
He argued that Europe must scale up defence spending and rebuild industrial capacity quickly, insisting that any delay only increases vulnerability.
At Europe’s doorstep
According to NATO’s official transcript from the speech, Rutte told the event that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine should be understood as a broader challenge to European security.
He warned that Moscow could regain enough military strength to pose a direct threat to NATO within five years, stressing that the alliance must treat that timeline as a realistic planning window.
The ghosts of the World Wars
In order to emphazise the urgency, Rutte made sure to explain, that a possible war with Russia would be on a scale, that many cannot comprehend.
“We must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured,” he said referencing WW1 and WW2.
Russia has repeatedly denied any intentions of attacking NATO.
Sources: Reuters, NATO transcripts
