NATO identifies Russia as the main threat to Europe
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte released the Alliance’s 2025 annual report, in which he identified the Russian Federation as the most significant and immediate threat to Euro-Atlantic security.
The head of the alliance emphasized that Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine continues with the active support of China, North Korea, Iran, and Belarus.
Over the past year, the Alliance has recorded an increase in the number of hybrid attacks, including airspace violations, sabotage, and cyberattacks.
Mark Rutte emphasized that the allies’ response to these challenges was immediate and unified.
“Throughout 2025, Russia continued to test the Alliance, becoming increasingly reckless, in particular by violating airspace, engaging in sabotage, and malicious cyber activities,” the Secretary General stated.
To protect the bloc’s interests, two strategic operations were launched: “Baltic Sentinel” to safeguard maritime infrastructure and “Eastern Sentinel” to strengthen the land flank.
The increase in troop numbers in these regions sent a strong signal of readiness for collective defense.
An important milestone in the cooperation was the launch of the “Priority Requirements List of Ukraine” (PURL) initiative.
This program allows partners to fund the delivery of U.S. equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, ensuring the rapid delivery of critically important weapons to the front lines.
“NATO has launched the ‘Priority Requirements List for Ukraine’ initiative, or PURL, which provides for the supply of U.S. military equipment to Ukraine at the expense of allies and partners. This is crucial firepower that only the United States can provide quickly and on a large scale, and which helps Ukraine hold the front lines and defend its people,” Rutte explained.
Despite rumors of a possible redeployment of U.S. military resources to the Middle East, the Secretary General assured that American manufacturing facilities continue to operate to meet Kyiv’s needs.
As a reminder, the NATO mission in Iraq has evacuated all personnel to Europe.
Rutte also called on NATO countries to support the U.S. military operation against Iran.
