
NATO chief Rutte calls for 400% increase in the alliance's air and missile defense
LONDON — NATO members need to increase their air and missile defenses by 400% to counter the threat from Russia, the head of the military alliance plans to say on Monday.
Secretary-General Mark Rutte will say during a visit to London that NATO must take a 'quantum leap in our collective defense' to face growing instability and threats, according to extracts released by NATO before Rutte's speech.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Miami Herald
28 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Russia Expands Military Cooperation with North Korea
Russia has agreed to help North Korea set up sites on the divided peninsula to manufacture Iranian-designed Shahed drones, a senior Ukrainian intelligence official has said. North Korea is heavily supported by Russia and China, and last year became the first country besides Russia and Ukraine to commit combat troops to the war in Eastern Europe. North Korea has also been a major contributor of ammunition and missiles to Russia's war effort. International watchers believe Pyongyang is, or will be, receiving economic aid and a hand-up with its weapons development programs, including submarines and ballistic missiles, from Moscow in exchange for munitions, missiles and troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced a mutual defense pact in June last year, which was signed in November. Russia has agreed to help North Korea set up sites on the divided peninsula to manufacture Iranian-designed Shahed drones, said Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Kyiv's GUR military intelligence agency. "It will for sure bring changes in the military balance in the region between North Korea and South Korea," the intelligence chief told The War Zone. "This is gravely concerning," William Alberque, a visiting fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center and a former director of NATO's Arms Control, Disarmament and WMD Non-Proliferation Center, told Newsweek. Cooperation between Pyongyang, Moscow and Tehran on drones will likely equip North Korea with "thousands, and then tens of thousands, of attack drones ready for combat, tested in battle, and incorporated into doctrine," Alberque said. Seoul would benefit from working closely with Kyiv and NATO member states to develop new ways to shield South Korea's airspace and critical infrastructure from its northern neighbor, he added. Newsweek has reached out to the South Korean embassy in the United Kingdom for comment via email. Shahed drones have plagued Ukraine's air defenses since the early months of the full-scale war, launched by Russia in February 2022. While slow-moving, the uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as Geran drones, are hard for Ukraine's overworked air defenses to detect. The drones are known for their distinctive, low buzzing sound, and can carry warheads that shatter or explode when the UAV reaches its target. Russia quickly established sites to pump out the Iranian-designed drones on Russian soil. The GUR told Ukrainian media earlier this month that Moscow was capable of producing roughly 170 new drones each day. Russia launched 315 Shahed drones and two of North Korea's KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, Kyiv's air force said early on Tuesday. Moscow has used North Korean-made ballistic missiles frequently when targeting Ukraine. Experts say that Russia wielding these missiles in combat can reveal details about opaque weapons development in North Korea, but will also allow Pyongyang to tweak and improve its missiles. North Korea has recast South Korea as its "principal enemy," officially moving away from the long-held goal of reunification. The countries have remained technically at war since an armistice agreement signaled the end of the Korean War in 1953. The U.S. State Departmentsaid last week that Russian support for North Korea "must end" after Sergei Shoigu, Russia's former defense minister now serving as the secretary of Russia's security council, visited the secretive nation's capital. North Korea's state news agency said in a readout that Moscow and Pyongyang agreed to "dynamically expand and develop" relations and deepen the "strategic partnership" between the two countries. Kim reassured Shoigu that North Korea would "unconditionally support" Russian foreign policy, including on Ukraine, state media reported. Related Articles Israel Denies Envoy's Claim of Patriot Defenses Given to UkraineNATO Ally Scraps Purchase of US Black Hawk Helicopters'Trump Is Losing,' Putin's Top Propagandist SaysRussia Won't End Ukraine War Until NATO 'Pulls Out' of Baltics: Moscow 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
6 youngest NATO countries as of 2025
NATO is one of the most important security partnerships in modern history. The group standa as more than just a military alliance; it is a collective security guarantee in an unstable global context. Business Insider Africa presents the youngest NATO countries. This list is courtesy of Global Firepower. Sweden is the latest country to join the 76-year-old coalition. Article 5, a collective self-defense clause, is important to the alliance because it specifies that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. This strong commitment deters aggression and reassures weaker nations under NATO's cover. In a period of rising geopolitical tensions, cyber threats, terrorism, and assertive military actions by powers like as Russia and China, NATO offers its members strategic depth. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, albeit targeting a non-NATO state, demonstrated to member nations how important NATO's security structure is. The eastern flank countries, including Poland, the Baltic States, and Romania, feel more confident knowing they are not alone in the issue. NATO also facilitates joint military training, intelligence sharing, and rapid response by coordinating defense plans. For smaller governments with limited defense expenditures, NATO membership provides access to advanced capabilities, technology, and logistics that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive. Beyond defense, NATO aims to promote unity among democratic states. It represents a shared commitment to stability, the rule of law, and peace. As the world evolves, NATO's ability to adapt by addressing hybrid warfare, cybersecurity, and space security shows its continued relevance. For its members, NATO represents solidarity, protection, and influence in global security issues. Its significance today is not only military, but also political: guaranteeing that democratic states stand together in the face of common difficulties. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed on April 4, 1949, in the aftermath of World War II. Its founding was a watershed moment in international relations, establishing a military alliance dedicated to safeguarding peace, stability, and collective security in a rapidly divided world. With that said, here's a list of the oldest NATO countries according to data from Global Firepower. 6 youngest NATO countries as of 2025 Rank Country Date joined Years as a member state 1. Sweden March 7, 2024 1 2. Finland April, 4, 2023 2 3. North Macedonia March, 27, 2020 5 4. Montenegro June, 5, 2017 8 5. Albania April, 1, 2009 16 6. Croatia April, 1, 2009 16


Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
NATO Seeks to Include Ukraine Funds in New Spending Target
NATO allies will consider allowing contributions to Ukraine's defense to be included in the new spending target alliance members are expected to adopt at a leaders' summit later this month. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization will also propose working toward eliminating defense trade barriers, according to a preliminary draft of the summit declaration seen by Bloomberg. The draft will likely change before the final version is agreed to at the meeting in The Hague.