NATO Chief Urges Europe and Canada to Boost Defense as U.S. Shifts Focus to Indo-Pacific

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. (Wikimedia Commons/Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken/Valerie Kuypers)

JAKARTA - The Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) urged European allies and Canada on Thursday to increase defense spending and industrial production, stressing that the United States remains committed to the alliance but has shifted its focus to the Indo-Pacific.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a NATO defense ministers meeting, Secretary-General Mark Rutte said discussions would focus on implementing decisions taken at the Hague summit, including "increasing" defense investment and strengthening the alliance's industrial base to ensure deterrence.

Secretary General Rutte said the recent increase in allied military spending showed that pressure from Washington was bearing fruit, noting that European and Canadian allies "increased" by billions of dollars more for defense, quoted by Anadolu (13/2).

He also stressed continued support for Ukraine, pointing to a new £500 million British air defense package announced and warned that Kyiv remained under missile attack despite having resilience on the battlefield.

Later, in a joint speech with US Deputy Defense Secretary for Policy Elbridge Colby, Secretary-General Rutte praised him as a consistent supporter of a stronger European and Canadian defense commitment in NATO.

In his earlier speech, Secretary-General Rutte warned of the long-term threat from Russia and cautioned against underestimating China's growing presence in the Arctic.

He said NATO's initiatives aimed at securing the Arctic, the Baltic region, and the eastern wing showed the alliance's ability to address multiple threats simultaneously, citing incidents such as drone violations in Poland and alleged missiles entering Estonian airspace as a reminder of the ongoing risks.

Rutte's secretary general rejected Washington's claim that it was not putting enough pressure on Moscow, saying both the US and Europe were imposing sanctions and continuing to provide military aid to Ukraine.

Apart from the US' global responsibilities, he expects Washington to maintain a "nuclear umbrella" and a "strong conventional presence in Europe," he said, calling it a "vital" pillar of transatlantic security.