In a stark and provocative address to European lawmakers, NATO’s new Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, issued a blunt ultimatum: increase military spending or prepare to start learning Russian. Speaking at the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) on January 13, Rutte’s remarks underscored the growing urgency within NATO to bolster defenses against perceived Russian threats.

Rutte, who assumed the role of NATO Secretary-General in 2024 after serving as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, emphasized that the current level of military spending among European NATO members is insufficient. Despite two-thirds of NATO’s members now meeting the 2% GDP military spending target established in 2014, Rutte warned that this benchmark is no longer adequate to address the alliance’s security needs.

“We are safe now, but not in 4-5 years,” Rutte cautioned. “If you don’t do it, get out your Russian language courses or go to New Zealand. Or decide now to spend more.” The NATO chief’s tone was unmistakably serious as he urged European members to act decisively.

“I just want you to spend more money!” he added, clarifying that while he had not proposed a new official spending target, the current 2% is “not nearly enough.”

The issue of military expenditure has been a contentious topic within NATO for years, with the United States traditionally bearing a disproportionate share of the financial burden. Currently, the US accounts for 60% of NATO’s military........

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