NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has highlighted the growing importance of the defence industry to Allied security during a visit to the Brussels European Defense Exhibition (BEDEX).
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Thursday, Rutte told defence industry representatives that modern militaries depend heavily on a strong industrial base capable of producing and sustaining advanced equipment.
“The men and women in uniform are crucial but without the equipment they cannot fight, and our adversaries know that, so they need to know that we have a strong defence industrial base,” he said.
The NATO chief also pointed to the need for increased defence investment as security conditions deteriorate across Europe and beyond.
“NATO Allies are committed to investing 5% of their GDP on defence by 2035 because this is about our security, and about our freedom and our prosperity,” he said.
During the visit, Rutte toured the exhibition alongside Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever and Defence Minister Theo Francken, where he praised Belgium’s increased defence spending. “With extra defence investment we can buy the capabilities our militaries need to keep us safe,” he said.
The Secretary General also used the event to stress the need for defence companies across the Alliance to expand production, accelerate innovation and deepen cooperation.
“We are unmatched as an Alliance in our industrial strength and innovation power, and I’m absolutely confident that we can succeed together, and we will succeed together. This is good for our security and for our economies,” he said.
Rutte later joined Defence Minister Francken for a public discussion during the exhibition and is scheduled to deliver a speech later at the event.
I have no faith in Rutte, he’s just Trump’s mouthpiece in Europe