NATO chief says Europe seeing 'biggest defense spending increase since Cold War'

GENEVA

NATO chief on Thursday welcomed a historic surge in European defense spending and called for continued efforts to bolster military readiness amid rising global threats.

"We literally see hundreds of billions of euros rolling in," Secretary General Mark Rutte said at the start of a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels. "This is probably the biggest increase in defense spending here on the European side of NATO since the end of the Cold War. But we still need more."

The meeting also marks the first NATO appearance of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with discussions focused on ramping up defense investments, industrial production, and support for Ukraine.

"We are really focused … on how to defend NATO territory against the Russians, our long-term threat, which will be there even after, I hope, there will be a deal on Ukraine," he said.

On Washington's role, Rutte dismissed doubts over US reliability. "Absolutely they are," he said when asked if the US remains a trustworthy ally.

"There is a clear commitment by the US, a clear expectation that we will equalize the spending here on the European side of NATO," he said.

He also said: "Let’s celebrate the fact that we have added, in aggregate, €700 billion ($770 billion) since 2017."

Welcoming efforts by the Trump administration to broker peace in Ukraine, the NATO chief said: "The Americans have broken a network. They are working with the Russians and Ukrainians to get to a peace deal … that should be enduring and lasting."

Rutte also highlighted Arctic security and stability in the Western Balkans as rising priorities.