‘Time is not on our side’: NATO says member states are Russia’s next target - Video
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has warned that the alliance must urgently prepare for the possibility of a wider conflict with Russia, declaring that NATO countries are “Russia’s next target” during a speech in Berlin on Thursday, December 11.
Speaking at the Bavarian State Representation during an event hosted by the Munich Security Conference, Rutte said NATO must adopt a “wartime mindset” to prevent future attacks and strengthen deterrence.
“I’m here today to tell you where NATO stands, and what we must do to stop a war before it starts,” he said. “And to do that, we need to be crystal clear about the threat. We are Russia’s next target, and we are already in harm’s way.”
Rutte said he has repeatedly warned since taking office last year that the conflict in Ukraine could extend to NATO territory if member states fail to act decisively. “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 added.
Moscow has consistently rejected accusations that it intends to attack NATO members, insisting the conflict remains limited to Ukraine. Russian officials have instead accused the alliance of escalating hostilities by supplying weapons to Kyiv and entertaining discussions about deploying troops.
Russian intelligence recently claimed that France was preparing to send up to 2,000 soldiers to Ukraine, a claim Paris denies. Meanwhile, the UK confirmed earlier this week that a British soldier had been killed while observing a weapons test in Ukraine. However, officials stressed the incident occurred far from active fighting.
Rutte’s remarks come amid rising tension between Russia and Western governments, as NATO reassesses its defence posture ahead of next year’s key strategic planning meetings.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
