NATO chief says Europe can ensure its own defence

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated that Europe is becoming stronger militarily, which will allow it to ensure its own security in the context of potential reductions in US forces on the continent.

At a press conference in the Swedish city of Helsingborg, where a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers took place, he said that as the EU states have increased spending, they can ensure the defence of Europe, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“Europeans are now doing more, and that is logical,” he noted.

According to him, Europe is taking on greater responsibility for the defence of NATO’s European component, while the United States is also focused on the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.

“They are reallocating their attention to other regions of the world, because everything is interconnected,” he added.

Rutte compared the population of “Europe in the broader sense, including the United Kingdom and Türkiye” with that of Russia, describing Europe as “the richest region in the world.”

“We must be able to defend ourselves without relying on another ally across the Atlantic. For many years, we spent too little, and now it takes time. But gradually our capabilities are increasing, and we can do more,” he stressed.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov