Mark Rutte, the new secretary general of NATO, addressed the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, stating that he does not see an imminent threat of nuclear weapons being used by Russia despite recent rhetoric from President Vladimir Putin. Rutte emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and urged NATO countries to continue arming the country to bring an end to the conflict.
During his first press conference as NATO chief, Rutte outlined his priorities, which include supporting Ukraine, bolstering NATO’s collective deterrence, and building relationships in other parts of the world. He also praised former US President Donald Trump for pushing NATO allies to increase defense spending and acknowledged the need for NATO countries to meet the target of spending 2% of GDP on defense.
Rutte, who previously served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, took over the role of NATO secretary general after Jens Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg, who led NATO for ten years, oversaw the alliance’s transformation from perceived “brain death” to a revamped military alliance. As Rutte begins his tenure, Stoltenberg expressed confidence in his leadership and wished him luck in his new role.
Source link
