BRUSSELS, Belgium: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Russia remains the alliance’s main security threat as he called for a stronger European-led NATO.
Rutte outlined the approach in an interview with Anadolu Agency, describing it as “NATO 3.0.”
He said the model would reduce Europe’s reliance on the United States without removing Washington’s role in the alliance.
“The US will still be involved in Europe,” Rutte said, citing conventional and nuclear commitments. Rutte said the shift would give Europe a larger role in NATO’s command structure.
He said European allies and Canada would also take more financial responsibility for supporting Ukraine.
Rutte described Russia as NATO’s principal threat now and in the longer term. He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of sustaining the war in Ukraine at a high human cost.
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Rutte said NATO also faced a wider challenge from Russia’s ties with North Korea, Iran and China.
He warned allies not to underestimate China’s military expansion, saying Beijing could have 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.
