NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte declared today in Berlin that the Atlantic Alliance will remain "united" and "strong" regardless of the outcome of the French presidential election, scheduled for May. Rutte said he has "full confidence" that, whoever is elected, France will maintain its course on fundamental issues, such as defense investment and support for Ukraine.
The possibility of a far-right victory in the French presidential election worries NATO allies, who fear a reduction in France's support for Ukraine and a more conciliatory stance towards Russia. Rutte warned against any "naivety" regarding the Russian threat, denouncing that the list of Russia's "malicious hybrid activities" in Europe "keeps growing".
The NATO official stressed that the sabotage attempts and other hybrid actions attributed to Russia are signs of a "desperate regime" that is not achieving its objectives in Ukraine, warning that Moscow will fail in its attempt to divide the allies. Rutte emphasized that "there is no room for complacency" and that allies need to "spend more, produce more and protect ourselves better".
Rutte stated that US President Donald Trump is "right" about the need for Europe to invest more in defense, calling it "unsustainable" that Europe spends much less than the United States. He also assured that, despite signs from Washington about reducing its military presence in Europe, he has "absolutely no doubt" that the US is committed to NATO and to Article 5 of its charter.
