The Urgency of Bolstering NATO's Defense Strategy

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized the strategic importance of averting a Russian triumph in Ukraine, highlighting that such an outcome could severely deplete NATO's deterrent power. This restoration could require trillions of dollars, underscoring the necessity for continued robust support for Ukraine from Western nations.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sounded an alarm on Thursday, cautioning that a Russian success in Ukraine would significantly weaken the deterrent power of the global military alliance. Restoring NATO's standing could demand a staggering trillion-dollar effort, he noted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

NATO has heightened its military presence on its eastern boundaries adjoining Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Thousands of troops and military hardware have been deployed to dissuade Moscow from expanding its war beyond Ukraine into NATO member territories.

Rutte urged Western allies to intensify rather than withdraw their support for Ukraine, as Russia's full-scale war enters its third year. He warned against any hasty diplomatic resolutions unfavorable to Ukraine, noting that such compromises would embolden Russia geopolitically.

(With inputs from agencies.)