NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg fears a possible expansion of Russian aggression to other countries if Putin wins in Ukraine. Therefore, the arms industry should be ramped up quickly. Because deterrence works only if it is credible.
According to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, the Alliance must prepare for the possibility of a decades-long confrontation with Russia.
"NATO is not seeking war with Russia," Stoltenberg told Welt. "But we must prepare for a potentially decades-long confrontation."
He once again called on allies to accelerate the expansion of their arms industry.
"If (Vladimir) Putin wins in Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russian aggression will not spread to other countries," Stoltenberg warned.
The best defense now is to support Ukraine and invest in NATO's military capabilities. "Deterrence only works if it is credible," he said.
"We need to rebuild and expand our industrial base more quickly so that we can increase deliveries to Ukraine and replenish our own stocks," Stoltenberg urged. "This means transitioning from slow production in times of peace to fast production required during conflicts."
Therefore, he called for more and faster orders for Europe's arms manufacturers: In market economies, weapons manufacturers need signed contracts to ramp up their production, argued Stoltenberg.
The NATO Secretary-General warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing his country's economy for a long war.
"Because Russia is orienting its entire economy towards war, we also need to do more for our security." Stoltenberg also reiterated his reliance on a "yes" vote from the US Congress for aid to Ukraine. "It is crucial that the United States Congress agrees on further support for Ukraine in the near future," said Stoltenberg. "I count on all allies to maintain their commitment." In the Russian war of aggression, there is a real "transatlantic burden-sharing," emphasized the NATO Secretary-General.
