NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on alliance members and other Western partners to provide more support to Ukraine as the cold weather looms.
Speaking on Thursday after a meeting with Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs at the Adazi military base, Rutte warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will “use winter as a weapon”.
Rutte said Russia would try to destroy Ukraine’s energy supply system: “That is why we must all increase our support to Ukraine, including air defense to protect critical infrastructure.”
To strengthen their own defense capabilities, NATO members should increase their defense spending and boost weapons production, Rutte said. Rinkēvičs also called on NATO partners to spend more on defence, specifically calling for an amount of 2.5 to 3% of gross domestic product (GDP). The official NATO target for military spending is currently 2%.
Rutte and Rinkēvičs watched a maneuver by the multinational NATO brigade stationed in Latvia, which was training together at full strength for the first time. About 3,500 soldiers from 13 NATO countries took part in the Resolute Warrior exercise. Latvia shares a border with Russia and its close ally Belarus to the east.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (3-R) with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics (C) and Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds (4-R) talk to soldiers and view their military equipment. They visited a maneuver of the multinational NATO brigade stationed in Latvia, which is currently being formed and trained together at full strength for the first time. Alexander Welscher/dpa
