NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte answered questions at the Euronews Defense and Space Summit held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. The first question directed at Rutte concerned a warning letter sent by Russia to NATO, which reportedly stated that "they would not hesitate to resort to nuclear weapons to protect Kaliningrad." Emphasizing that he could not confirm exactly what Russia had conveyed to NATO but that they had responded to it, Rutte said, "Basically, what we said was: we are a defensive alliance. Stop the nuclear threats. This is absolutely inappropriate and in no way helpful. And end the war against Ukraine. We gave a short and concise answer and we were clear. However, I think it is up to them to explain exactly what was written in the Russian letter."
"Putin knows he can never defeat NATO"
When asked about the risk of nuclear weapons being used against Baltic countries and whether an escalation is in question, Rutte replied, "No, it is not. Putin knows he can never defeat NATO. Therefore, I do not take it that seriously. NATO is much stronger than Russia. There is no way they can defeat us."
"All of this is happening because things are not going well for him in Ukraine"
The NATO Secretary General said, "Currently, 43 thousand Russians are being killed or seriously wounded in Ukraine every month. Ukraine is holding the front line and is in a much better position than it was six months or a year ago. It is striking inside Russia. Allies are supporting Ukraine through arms deliveries and similar means. That is the picture, and Putin is not winning. Putin is a bit worried and shaken. The best way to deal with this situation is to stay calm."
Stating that Russia is trying to divide the alliance and shift the focus away from Ukraine through letters and hybrid attacks, Rutte said, "Whatever kind of hybrid incident occurs in Europe, the response will be not less, but more support for Ukraine. That is the message. Stay calm, carry on, continue the support for Ukraine."
When asked if there is great anxiety about the war moving out of Ukraine and toward a NATO country, and whether the risk assessment is the same as it was three weeks, three months, or a year ago, Rutte replied, "Yes. Let us not forget, if the Russians want to do something against Finland, one of the Baltic countries, Poland, or any country in NATO, we will see a military buildup. If you do not believe me, listen to the Latvian and Estonian politicians. They say, if we think there is a serious threat to Estonia or Latvia, we will be the first to call you."
Emphasizing that NATO is ready to protect its territory, Rutte said, "There is no threat. If something happens, we are ready to counter it. We will always act for defensive purposes and, if necessary, of course, we will defend ourselves. The important thing is this: All of this is happening because things are not going well for him in Ukraine. He wants to divide us."
When asked whether one should conclude that nothing has changed despite the letters from Russia, the visit of a high-level CIA official, and other signs, Rutte said, "There is no imminent threat to NATO territory. If there is a military buildup, we will see it and we will deal with it. If anything else happens, we will deal with that too. We are trained for this and we are ready for it. We have a single command structure and 32 allies working together."
"The Ukrainians are in a much better position than they were six months or a year ago"
In response to a question about reports that the situation in Ukraine is very dire, Rutte replied that the situation is caused by Russia heavily striking cities. On the other hand, stating that Ukraine is in a much better position on the front, Rutte said, "The Ukrainians are in a much better position than they were six months or a year ago. Look at what they are doing with strikes deep inside Russia."
On the other hand, emphasizing that Ukraine needs air defense missiles for the coming weeks and months, Rutte called on the allies, saying, "Please give whatever you can. This saves lives."
"We need a country of 340 million people, located six to eight hours away by flight, to defend us"
In his response to a question about the impact of the Iran war on the energy market, Rutte stated, "When a war breaks out, it always has negative consequences." Rutte said, "Why are the Americans doing the job of eliminating Iran's nuclear capacity? Because we cannot. But in the future, as Europeans, we must ensure that we are in a position to do this ourselves. It is already a bit strange. As 600 million people in Europe, we need a country of 340 million people, located six to eight hours away by flight, to defend us against 140 million Russians."
Regarding a question about peace efforts in Ukraine, Rutte replied, "We all hope for this. Last week in New York, I spoke with some high-level American officials involved in peace efforts. They are working day and night to make this happen. We all want this war to end, but it takes two to tango. Putin does not seem to want to tango. I do not know if this will happen before winter. Right now, Putin does not seem willing to be involved in the process."
When asked what NATO 3.0 means, Rutte replied, "First of all, this means an alliance where we pay, where both sides make commitments. So, the relationship will become more equal. Because we are all making more commitments, it will be a stronger alliance."
Stating that it would not be smart from a military and tactical perspective for the US to not be present on the continent conventionally while providing a nuclear security umbrella to Europe, Rutte said, "The US will continue its presence in Europe in the conventional field as well."
Rutte added, "Thanks to Europe taking more responsibility for security, the US will be much more committed to Europe. Because they need Europe, a secure Atlantic, and a secure Arctic."
"They are making massive investments in their armies"
Stating that the threat posed by China is also extremely important but that the long-term threat to NATO is Russia, Rutte said, "We will see how China develops. We know that by 2030, they will have a thousand nuclear warheads. They are making massive investments in their armies. And these are not just for holding parades in Beijing."
News Source: 12punto
