Cash is not enough, NATO chief says in push for arms output
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte issued an urgent call to action on Wednesday, warning that increased defense spending alone will not guarantee Western security unless the alliance drastically accelerates its industrial weapons production.
Speaking to over 50 U.S. and Belgian defense executives at the Transatlantic Defense Industry Access Forum in Brussels, Rutte emphasized that ramping up the defense industrial base and deploying innovation faster is paramount to maintaining strong global deterrence. He signaled a major shift in focus for the alliance's leadership, ahead of an upcoming critical summit, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
While member states agreed last year in The Hague to push defense spending goals to 5% of their GDP, Rutte made it clear that writing checks is no longer the main objective. Looking forward to next month's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye, the Secretary General asserted that the alliance must deliver concrete military results. "Cash is crucial," Rutte noted. "But next month’s summit in Ankara will not only be about cash; it has to be about the combat-ready capabilities and significantly scaling up our defense industries."
By Aysel Mammadzada
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