London: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called for a dramatic fourfold increase in the alliance’s air and missile defense capabilities, citing escalating threats from Russia as a key driver. Speaking at Chatham House in London ahead of the NATO summit scheduled for June 24–25 in The Hague, Rutte stressed the urgent need for what he described as a “quantum leap” in collective defense readiness.

“The skies over Ukraine prove every day that air and missile defense is no luxury—it’s essential,” Rutte stated. “We must act decisively and expand our protective shield by at least 400 percent to maintain a credible deterrence.”

In addition to bolstering defenses, Rutte also called on member nations to significantly raise military spending. He proposed allocating 3.5% of national GDP toward core defense, with another 1.5% for broader security objectives. The suggested target aligns with earlier appeals by former U.S. President Donald Trump for a 5% defense expenditure benchmark across NATO.

European countries are already making moves in that direction. The United Kingdom has announced plans to raise its defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with future aspirations to reach 3%. Germany, for its part, aims to increase its active military personnel by 50,000–60,000 in the coming years.

Rutte’s remarks underscore NATO’s growing urgency to adapt its posture in the face of renewed great-power rivalry. With geopolitical tensions high and the alliance’s eastern flank under pressure, the upcoming summit is expected to focus heavily on turning these ambitious defense goals into concrete policies and budget commitments.