Rutte announces billions of dollars in investments in NATO defense ahead of the summit in Ankara

At a press conference in Ankara, Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary General, announced that new defense contracts worth "billions of dollars" will be signed, aimed at providing "essential equipment for deterrence and defense."

He highlighted that European NATO allies and Canada have increased defense spending to about 4% of GDP, with an increase of nearly 20% compared to the previous year. Rutte emphasized that by 2035, defense spending should reach 5% of GDP, with 3.5% for actual defense. He also called on all member states to present concrete plans to achieve this goal.

In the context of the conflict in Ukraine, Rutte stressed the importance of support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, highlighting NATO allies' responsibility to ensure the necessary resources for its defense.

He also commented on the missile test conducted by China, warning that NATO cannot be naive in the face of global challenges.