Wartime mindset

NATO members must shift to a 'wartime mindset,' alliance chief says

From CNN’s Sophie Tanno

The chief of NATO has said that “several” member states have agreed to invest significantly more in defense spending, as he warned that the military alliance must shift to a “wartime mindset.”

At a meeting on Thursday, NATO members agreed on an updated action plan to rebuild a strong defense industry on both sides of the Atlantic, Secretary General Mark Rutte told a news conference later that day.

“Several” NATO member states announced large increases in defense spending in the meeting, Rutte said. “I expect many ministers to return home from today’s meeting with a greater sense of urgency.”

He continued: “We need significantly more defense spending, so there is no time to waste.”

Rutte said that defense spending had already increased, with NATO allies in Europe and Canada investing a total of $485 billion in defense in 2024, an increase of 20% compared to the previous year. However, he warned that the alliance needed to do much more, and faster.

He added that NATO members also discussed the need to ramp up defense production at the same time, saying that “we need to shift to a wartime mindset, and we need industry to shift with us.”

Speaking on US President Donald Trump’s comments on starting talks to end the war in Ukraine, Rutte said that NATO allies had “taken note” of Trump’s initiative, and “discussed the importance of our continued support to Ukraine, which is crucial so that this brutal war of aggression can come to a just and lasting end.”

Trump said Wednesday he had held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which they agreed to “immediately” start negotiations to end the war.

Trump’s second term has placed fresh demands on America’s European partners, and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week cemented the administration’s demand for NATO members to spend 5% of their GDP on defense.