NATO chief warns of 'most dangerous and complex' security environment in a generation

NATO faces the "most dangerous and complex" security environment in a generation, the secretary general of the alliance warned on Wednesday, reiterating his call for more defense spending.

"It is clear if we do not invest more in our security, our collective defense will not be credible," Mark Rutte said at the Annual Lecture at The Ditchley Foundation in Oxfordshire.

He said NATO faces the "most dangerous and complex security environment in a generation," and there is need for "more Europe" in the alliance. "We cannot protect our way of life if we do not invest in our defense," he added.

Saying that US allies have "broad shoulders" and are ready for more responsibility, Rutte recalled that in 2025 alone European allies and Canada spent nearly 20% more.

"NATO is and will always be a transatlantic alliance. This is the principle that underpins NATO 3.0 and the rebalancing of our security," he said.

The secretary general argued that a secure Europe, a secure Atlantic, and a secure Arctic are "priorities for NATO and also essential" for the US' long-term security.