NATO countries' pledge to spend 5% of their economic output on defense is Donald Trump's biggest foreign policy success, according to Mark Rutte in a recent interview with the BBC.
Rutte praised Trump's impact on making NATO stronger than it ever was, asserting that he is good for collective defense, NATO, and Ukraine's security. Trump's administration raised concerns about European allies' defense spending, threatening to withdraw U.S. support absent substantial increases.
The NATO chief warned of a potentially imminent Russian attack on allied nations within the next five years, something President Vladimir Putin dismissed as hysteria. Following Russia's aggression in Ukraine, Rutte noted that member countries have committed to elevating military budgets significantly, a formula designed to counter both Russian aggression and terrorism.
Despite ongoing discussions about peace in Ukraine, including plans to provide significant security guarantees to Kyiv, the landscape remains fraught with tension as Putin insists on not seeking conflict, while still preparing militarily.
Overall, Rutte stressed that NATO must adhere to its defense spending commitments to avoid being outpaced by Russian military capabilities, which have been reinvigorated since the start of the war in Ukraine.
