NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has raised the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the state of the alliance’s defence industrial base at a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, describing freedom of navigation as being trampled upon and calling for collective action.
Speaking alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Rutte said the Hormuz question was one of the major issues on the agenda. “I hear from many of my colleagues here that it is not acceptable that the freedom of navigation is basically trampled upon as it is at the moment, and we have to think how we collectively can deal with this.” He also praised the US military action against Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
“Everybody acknowledges that the United States degrading the nuclear capability of Iran, but also the long-range missile capability of Iran, is crucial for the Middle East, for Europe, for the whole world.”
Rutte said defence spending was ramping up rapidly following the Hague summit, describing tens of billions flowing in now and hundreds of billions expected over the coming years. The challenge, he said, had moved from generating commitments to spending the money effectively. “That brings us to the big issue of the defence industrial base, which is not producing enough. This is a problem in Europe. This is a problem in the US. This will be a big issue at the Ankara Summit.”
He said the industrial expansion would nonetheless bring significant economic benefits in terms of jobs and new production lines across the Atlantic.
Ukraine also featured on the agenda, with Rutte thanking the United States for continuing to supply interceptors for Patriot air defence systems. “The critical flow of US military support to Ukraine, in terms of, for example, the interceptors for Patriot systems, continues to flow. Paid for by European and Canadian Allies, and it is really vital for Ukraine to stay strong in the fight.”
Why would NATO, a geographically defined Atlantic defensive alliance be considering threats to freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean Mark Rutte.
Mind your own business and get your lips off Trumps arse.
Freedom of navigation is a matter for the UN, currently the USA is the biggest violator of freedom of navigation and it’s the only major western power not to ratify the law of the sea.
So did Rutte remind Rubio that the Middle East is not in the North Atlantic,also did he remind Rubio that Vance bragged that he was proud of the fact the US had not given one penny to Ukraine from the trump regime! Weapons are bought by the alliance with a 10% markup from the US for Ukraine! All the while trump is cosying up to pootin lifting sanctions etc!