His remarks, published in Bild am Sonntag, come as European nations face mounting security threats.
Rutte acknowledged Germany’s contributions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but insisted that, given the size of its economy, Berlin is expected to do much more.
“Germany has done a lot of good, but naturally, we expect them to step up significantly,” he said.
He linked his demand to the growing threat posed by Russia, warning that NATO must prepare for conflict to deter it.
“Let me be very clear: we must prepare for war. Increasing defense spending is the best way to prevent it,” Rutte stressed.
He cautioned that Europe must not show weakness in the face of Moscow’s aggression, as hesitation could embolden Russia to take further action, similar to its moves in Ukraine. He also pointed to China’s expanding military capabilities as another challenge for European security.
More than two-thirds of NATO member states now allocate over 2% of their GDP to defense, largely due to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. During his election campaign, Trump repeatedly urged allies to increase military spending, reinforcing long-standing U.S. demands for a more equitable burden-sharing within NATO.
Trump has called on NATO allies to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP, well above the alliance’s current 2% target. While Germany barely meets the existing threshold, seven EU nations, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Belgium, still fall short of the required spending levels.
According to Poland's Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, the country will spend PLN 186.6 billion (USD 47.4 bn) on defense in 2025, equivalent to 4.7 percent of its GDP.
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Source: PAP