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Europe needs be prepared for conflict with Russia “On the scale that our grandparents endured”, NATO’s The Secretary General has given a strong warning to the West.
Tension has been rising across the continent in recent weeks flood of drone intrusions In NATO airspace and a scary statement from Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country is in NATO airspace “Ready for war now” If Europe wants it.
“We are Russia’s next target. And we are already in harm’s way,” Mark Rutte said in a speech in Berlin on Thursday.
“Russia has brought war back to Europe and we must prepare for war on the scale that our grandparents and great-grandfathers endured.”
Emphasizing an urgent and rapid increase in defense spending as a preventive measure, he said: “The conflict is at our doorstep.”
Mr Rutte suggested that Russia could use military force against NATO within the next five years, and that Europe was not ready for it.
“I fear that many people have become quietly careless,” he warned. “Many people do not feel the urgency. And many people believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now.
“Allied defense spending and production must increase rapidly. Our armed forces must have everything they need to keep us safe.”
In a scathing attack on the Russian leader, he said, “Putin is paying the price for his pride with the blood of his own people. And if he is willing to sacrifice ordinary Russians like this, what is he willing to do with us?”
His comments come as talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine struggle to gain momentum and the Trump administration has signaled it hopes Europe will become less dependent on the United States for its security.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had submitted a revised 20-point peace plan to the US to end the conflict.
The notion of Ukraine giving up the region to Russia has been a major obstacle, but the Americans have now put forward the possibility of a “free economic zone” in Donbass.
Mr Zelensky said US negotiators hoped Ukrainian forces would withdraw from the Donetsk region, with the agreement that Russian forces would not enter the area. He stressed that any decision on handing over territories would require a referendum.
“We have two major points of disagreement: the regions of Donetsk and everything connected with them, and the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. These are two topics we continue to discuss,” Mr Zelensky told reporters on Thursday.
Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz stressed that the matter of the region is “a question that must be answered primarily by the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people”, adding that he had “made this clear to President Trump”.
However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Europe of hindering efforts to reach a long-term peace deal by focusing on their desire for a ceasefire in the short term.
“Our conversation with the President of the United States is dedicated to just that – the search for a long-term solution to eliminate the root causes of this conflict,” Mr Lavrov said.
Donald Trump’s sympathy for Ukraine has appeared to be cooling recently and in an interview on Tuesday he expressed frustration over a “weak” and “decaying” Europe and hinted that he might abandon the talks altogether.
Reports claim Mr Trump has given Mr Zelensky a Christmas deadline to accept the peace deal, although Washington has denied this.
There have been days of consultations with European allies, including British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Merz, who spoke by phone with Mr Trump on Wednesday.
The Ukraine conflict remains a broader issue for Europe, with many countries accusing Russia of launching a “hybrid war” on their territory.
Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, Norway, Poland and Romania have all reported disruptions in their airspace in recent weeks. On Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that cyberattacks pose a “growing” threat to the UK and Europe.
Meanwhile, the US escalated tensions with Venezuela, seizing an oil tanker on Thursday that it claimed was being used to transport sanctioned fuel.
Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has accused the United States of plotting a conflict to exploit his country’s natural resources, including oil, while American politicians Concerns have been raised that Mr Trump is “sleepwalking” into war with Venezuela.,