NATO chief says Russia could try to keep EU busy if China attacks Taiwan
In remarks made during a media interview on Sunday, Rutte said coordination between Beijing and Moscow means developments in the Indo-Pacific region could quickly affect Europe’s security environment.
"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.
Rutte stressed that this risk makes it critical for NATO to accelerate efforts to reinforce its deterrence capabilities, noting that the Russian leadership remains willing to tolerate significant human losses in pursuit of its objectives.
"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.
He emphasized that maintaining Ukraine’s resilience is a cornerstone of broader European security, warning of serious consequences if Moscow were to prevail.
"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.
Rutte also confirmed that talks are underway regarding possible military contributions, noting that some European governments have already signaled openness to participating if such a move is deemed necessary. “Several European countries have indicated that they would be willing to contribute troops, if desired,” he said, adding that planning for any such mission is still ongoing.
Addressing concerns about a potential reduction of US involvement in Europe, Rutte dismissed such speculation and highlighted the role of the American president.
"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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