NATO chief calls for 400% increase in Air Defense against Russia
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NATO chief Mark Rutte urges a 400% boost in air defense amid the Russia-Ukraine war, as alliance leaders eye higher military budgets at the Hague summit.
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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte speaks during his visit at SGH Warsaw School of Economics in Warsaw, Poland, March 26, 2025 (AP/Czarek Sokolowski)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on Monday for a dramatic escalation in the alliance’s air and missile defense capabilities, urging a “400% increase” in response to the growing impact posed by the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
Speaking at Chatham House in London, Rutte showed that the war in Ukraine had laid bare the vulnerability of European skies and demanded a sweeping response.
“We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies,” he said, according to remarks shared ahead of his address.
To ensure credible deterrence, the NATO chief emphasized that the alliance must undergo a “quantum leap in collective defense,” which includes “a 400% increase in air and missile defence.”
The call comes as alliance members prepare for a high-stakes NATO summit in the Hague later this month.
Rutte: NATO must shield skies from Russian missile threat
The NATO air defense increase proposal reflects mounting concern over long-term security challenges, even beyond the current Russia-Ukraine war. “Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends,” Rutte noted, framing the issue as one of enduring strategic posture rather than short-term reaction.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, NATO member states have rushed to increase military arms production. Rutte said this transformation must include “thousands more armored vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells,” as well as major air defense procurement across the bloc.
Rutte’s remarks come as the United States ramps up pressure on NATO allies to significantly raise their military budgets. US President Donald Trump is expected to press alliance members at the upcoming summit to adopt a new target of 5% of GDP dedicated to defense, up from the current 2% goal.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said last week in Brussels that allies were nearing consensus on the new 5% threshold. The agreement, he suggested, could be formalized at the summit in The Hague, where the focus will be on NATO missile defense and broader spending reform.
UK and NATO partners ramp up rearmament
Rutte is expected to visit London next week to welcome Britain’s new defense initiatives. The UK recently unveiled an ambitious strategy to build up to 12 nuclear-powered attack submarines and six new munitions factories, aimed at addressing threats stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This military buildup mirrors similar rearmament efforts across the alliance as members accelerate procurement and domestic production to meet new NATO defense spending targets and implement urgent capability upgrades.
As NATO moves toward its summit in the Hague, the call for a 400% NATO air defense increase signals a dramatic shift in the alliance’s posture, one focused on sustained deterrence, expanded budgets, and readiness for a long-term standoff with Russia.
