NATO Wants to Strengthen Collective Defense

(MENAFN) On Wednesday, NATO's secretary general highlighted the necessity of developing a "stronger, more lethal" NATO, emphasizing that the challenges the alliance faces are too significant for any single member to handle on their own.

Mark Rutte, speaking at a press briefing before the near NATO foreign ministers meeting on April 3-4, underlined the importance of collaboration to address these pressing issues.

The discussions will primarily focus on defense spending and ongoing support for Ukraine.

Rutte stressed that the alliance’s priority is to fortify collective defense, which he described as the "foundation on which NATO was built and remains our number one priority."

He emphasized that NATO's unity is essential to overcoming the challenges of the modern security landscape.

Additionally, the NATO secretary general mentioned that key partners, including Ukraine, the European Union, and nations from the Indo-Pacific region, will be part of the talks.

The alliance intends to strengthen ties with its Indo-Pacific partners, aiming for more practical cooperation on areas such as defense industrial collaboration and the exchange of knowledge and perspectives.

Rutte also reaffirmed his "full support" for the efforts of the United States to bring the "terrible war" in Ukraine to a fair and enduring resolution, while recognizing the contributions of the United Kingdom, France, as well as other nations in ensuring long-term peace.

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