Rutte once again called for an acceleration of defense production in NATO countries
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte once again called on leaders of the European and American defense industries to significantly ramp up arms production and to more actively implement innovations across the Alliance.
The strategic event took place at NATO headquarters in Brussels and was organized by the United States.
The main goal of the international meeting was to strengthen transatlantic cooperation in the field of security and defense.
To this end, representatives from over 50 leading American companies, as well as executives from European industrial giants, gathered in Belgium.
“Speaking at the Transatlantic Forum on Defense Industry Access, Rutte urged the industry to deliver greater firepower more quickly, noting that ‘when you all produce more, our deterrence and defense posture is stronger, and we are all safe,” the statement said.
During his address, the Secretary General specifically highlighted the ambitious defense investment plan amounting to 5% of GDP, which the allies agreed upon at last year’s summit in The Hague.
He pointed to the upcoming summit in Ankara as a decisive moment for achieving concrete, practical results in this area.
“Money is crucial. But the upcoming summit in Ankara will be not only about money, but also about combat readiness and a significant expansion of our defense industry,” Mark Rutte stated.
The Alliance’s leader is convinced that large-scale financial investments in the military sector will have a positive impact not only on national defense but also on the civilian sector.
Such investments are extremely beneficial for overall economic development and the creation of new high-tech jobs.
“The point is that our defense—and I am absolutely convinced of this—is strongest when we pool our ideas, when we pool our assets, and the industry we have across the Alliance on both sides of the Atlantic,” Mark Rutte emphasized.
This was officially reported by the NATO press service following the bloc’s leader’s speech at the Transatlantic Forum on Access to the Defense Industry.
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