NATO tells members to divert social spending to militaries
RTDec 13
NATO Chief Calls for 'Wartime Mindset' With Increased Spending
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Above: NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte during a Foreign Ministers' meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, on Dec. 3, 2024. Image copyright: Omar Havana/Contributor/AFP/Getty Images via Getty Images
The Facts
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called for a shift to a "wartime mindset," claiming that the alliance would require "a lot more" than 2% of national gross domestic product (GDP) spending on defense in the future.
Rutte claimed that Russia's military spending was projected to reach 7-8% of GDP by 2025, representing the highest level since the Cold War and about one-third of Russia's state budget. Rutte stated that while NATO was "not at war" it was "certainly not at peace either."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
With Western security at its most precarious in decades, and Russia actively preparing for long-term confrontation, NATO remains underprepared. With nine members of the alliance still failing to reach the 2% target, substantial increases in defense spending are essential to protect democratic values and way of life in the face of growing international threats.
Establishment-critical narrative
NATO has increasingly become a tool for perpetuating Western hegemony under the guise of global security. Its actions often contradict international law, as seen in unilateral interventions like the 1999 Kosovo campaign and the 2003 Iraq War. Furthermore, its eastward expansion stokes tensions with rival powers — prioritizing confrontation over diplomacy, and undermining global stability.
