NATO chief for allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons without restrictions

ISTANBUL

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Tuesday reaffirmed the alliance's stance allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons without restrictions, stressing the importance of flexibility as the war with Russia hits the 1,000-day mark.

"When allies deliver weapons systems (to) Ukraine, it is best not to put restrictions on them," Rutte stated during remarks ahead of a meeting with European defense ministers in Brussels.

He underscored the importance of discretion, adding: "Let’s not communicate too much and not make our adversaries more wise than is necessary."

Rising global threats

He expressed concern over Russia’s deepening alliances with North Korea, Iran, and China, warning of the global security risks posed by these partnerships.

"North Korea (is supplying) troops ... to Russia. Again, Russia is paying for this. The fact that they have to pay with missile technology is really a threat to all of us because North Korea will become more effective in its deterrence," he said.

He also highlighted China’s role in aiding Russia through “sanction circumvention” and “dual-use goods” and criticized Iran for using payments from Russia to strengthen its proxies in the Middle East.

"What is happening here is now posing a threat to Japan, South Korea, and the US trajectory," he added.

NATO’s commitment to Ukraine

Rutte praised Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russia’s military onslaught, emphasizing the alliance’s resolve to ensure Ukraine prevails.

"I cannot be more proud of what Ukraine has done to prevail, being four times smaller, having an economy which is only 25% of the size of the Russian economy," he said.

He stressed that supporting Ukraine is vital to safeguarding global democracy and security.

"Why is this so crucial that Putin will not get his way? Because you will have an emboldened Russia on our border, which will have gained in landmass, (and) have gained emergency capability," he warned.

Rutte urged NATO members to ramp up their defense production and spending, noting that "the defense industrial base transatlantic will be strengthened over the coming months."

Acknowledging progress toward NATO’s 2% GDP defense spending target, he argued: "It is clearly not enough. So we have to also make sure that we spend more on defense, to make sure that the deterrence of defense is not only there today but also for the longer term."