NATO Chief Says Russia May Attempt to Distract Europe in Taiwan Crisis
In remarks to a German outlet over the weekend, Rutte emphasized the deepening strategic partnership between Beijing and Moscow, arguing that conflict in the Indo-Pacific would immediately threaten the continent's stability.
"We also see the global connection between China and Russia. China is looking at Taiwan. And I am convinced that if China takes military action there, it will pressure its junior partner, Russia, under Putin's leadership, to keep us busy here in Europe," he said.
The alliance's top official stressed that NATO must rapidly bolster its defensive posture, noting Moscow's willingness to sustain catastrophic casualties. Rutte pointed to Russia's marginal battlefield gains despite staggering human costs.
"The reason is Putin. He is prepared to sacrifice 1.1 million of his own people. And this year he has made very little progress – minimal territorial gains, less than 1% of Ukrainian territory compared to the beginning of the year," he added.
According to Rutte, maintaining Ukraine's military capability remains critical to continental defense. He warned that a complete Russian takeover would dramatically escalate NATO's financial burden beyond commitments made at The Hague summit.
"If Russia were to gain control of all of Ukraine, it would have massive repercussions for NATO – and we would have to spend far more than what we agreed upon in The Hague," he said.
Multiple European nations have signaled readiness to deploy military personnel if requested, Rutte confirmed, though operational frameworks are still under development.
"Several European countries have indicated that they would be willing to contribute troops, if desired," he said.
Rutte dismissed suggestions that Washington might retreat from European commitments, lauding US President Donald Trump's engagement on the conflict.
"I have to say: Trump is absolutely committed to this issue. He is focused on ending this war. He is the only one who was able to bring Putin to the negotiating table – and the only one who can ultimately force him to make peace," he stressed.
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