BREAKING: Mark Rutte Urges EU to Step Up for Stronger NATO Unity during Media Address | AC1Z

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]making sure we will over time step by step be less reliant on one only as we have been for so long which is United States that also for them they have the possibility and the option to pivot more towards other priorities which are also in our interest will continue. But of course I welcome the announcement yesterday.

[00:00:33]You have seen over the years always that there are decisions about deployments and group levels etc. is when you zoom out you clearly see the trajectory the trajectory is that European are spending more. I've mentioned yesterday again the German example but I could mention the Dutch example the Polish example so many examples in Europe. Sweden where we are today already reaching the 5% including the 3.5 core defense spending by 2030 five years ahead of schedule. Eh and this is necessary not only to equalize what we are spending with the United States but also to make sure that we have what we need. to deter event against our adversaries including our long-term threat which is Russia and the US will play a key role in Europe when it comes to the nuclear but also when it comes to the conventional what you will be seeing over the coming time is a step bystep process where the Europeans step up more which is really important the Americans acknowledge this and within that process you will always have of course decisions and announcements which ehm are part of the longer term trajectory.

[00:01:52]Hey listen, NATO is a political military alliance. So that's the big difference with China or Russia where one person in the end takes all the decisions. We are a democratic alliance and a military alliance. And that means that decisions will always be informed by military and political considerations. That's how it works. [sniffs] Basically, it is happening already, but I'm seeing for example the United States the flow of US crucial gear into Ukraine continues. This includes of course vital eh anti ballistic missile, anti missile eh support including for the Patriot systems. paid for by European the famous Pearl program it is continuing the Europeans are paying for it what I want to achieve is that the burden is more evenly spread that there is more burden sharing here because at the moment it is only six or seven allies who are doing the heavy lifting the good news is that what they do is enough to make sure that Ukraine eh keeps having the access to this crucial US eh equipment but of course it would be fairer Ukra is absolutely necessary to discuss all the Ukrainians doing remarkably well on the battlefield. Final question.

[00:03:45]No doubt when for ministers meet we will discuss all relevant eh events, all relevant developments including of course the straight of Iran. Ehm when I was in the United States early April also spoke with the president and the secretive state and the secretive war I I really sense this disappointment eh let me also say that Europeans have heard the message when it comes for example to European basis and these are bilateral commitments by European countries with United States so that the United States can use these bilateral commitments operations they Europe over massively European countries have been living up to those commitments. I was in Boarrest last week and I saw first hand and you know that the Romanian government had to change even the legislation to make this possible and it did I think in one or two days I saw the tankers on the airport of Bucharest but the same is true for Bulgaria, Portugal eh it's true for Greece erm but also the bigger countries like Italy and UK and France and Germany. Eh so they are all when it comes to making their basis available doing what US could expect.

[00:05:04]based on bilateral commitments. When it comes to the straight of hormous next phase what we are seeing is and also here I think Europeans really heard a message is many European countries ehm making sure that they let's say preposition some of their key and eh key eh ships and other equipment eh close to theater for example demining eh eh equipment demining ships, demining eh uncude systems so that in that next phase eh we can be maximum helpful as European allies ehm with the United States to see how we can make sure that the freedom of navigation and this is what I stake here the aim of is at this moment choked off and the free movement of navigation is seriously on the threat here so of course this is an interest also for all allies not for NATO maybe as an alliance but clearly wherever we can help we will be there thank you so much and see you later.

[00:06:38]Hey