NATO secretary general warns Russia could target alliance members next amid rising tensions

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned members of the transatlantic confederation connected Thursday that they could beryllium Russia’s adjacent target.

Rutte, delivering a keynote code astatine the Bavarian State Representation, hosted by the Munich Security Conference successful Germany, evoked the nighttime the Berlin Wall fell as a reminder of the powerfulness of unity.

"The acheronian forces of oppression are connected the march again. I'm present contiguous to archer you wherever NATO stands and what we indispensable bash to halt a warfare earlier it starts. And to bash that, we request to beryllium crystal wide astir the threat. We are Russia's adjacent target. And we are already successful harm's way," helium said.

NATO members committed successful June to summation defence spending to 5% of gross home merchandise by 2035, heeding President Donald Trump’s calls to instrumentality much steps to bolster its security.

'PUTIN IS PUSHING THE LIMITS’: EASTERN ALLIES WARN TRUMP NOT TO PULL US TROOPS

NATO leaders airs successful this changeable taken successful June. Military leaders are gathering successful Washington Tuesday evening to sermon securities options for Ukraine. (REUTERS/Claudia Greco)

Rutte told attendees that the determination wasn’t a infinitesimal for self-congratulations arsenic Russia continues its large-scale drone and rocket attacks connected Ukraine.

"I fearfulness that excessively galore are softly complacent. Too galore don't consciousness the urgency. And excessively galore judge that clip is connected our side. It is not. The clip for enactment is now," helium said.

The NATO main urged allies to boost defence spending and production, saying their equipped forces indispensable person the resources needed to support their homelands, and cautioning that Moscow could beryllium acceptable to use subject unit against NATO wrong 5 years.

PUTIN WARNS RUSSIA ‘READY’ IF EUROPE ‘SUDDENLY WANTS TO WAGE WAR WITH US’ AMID UKRAINE TALKS

A Polish Army worker sits successful a vessel arsenic a NATO emblem flies down during the NATO Noble Jump VJTF exercises connected June 18, 2015, successful Zagan, Poland. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

"We indispensable each judge that we indispensable enactment to support our mode of life, now. Because this year, Russia has go adjacent much brazen, reckless and ruthless towards NATO and towards Ukraine," Rutte added. "During the Cold War, President Reagan warned astir the assertive impulses of an evil empire. Today, President Putin is successful the empire gathering concern again."

TRUMP SAYS NATO COUNTRIES SHOULD SHOOT DOWN RUSSIAN JETS THAT VIOLATE AIRSPACE

Poland accused Russia of being liable for a railway blast connected its Warsaw-Lublin enactment successful November.

A Koleje Mazowieckie bid sits connected the tracks with constabulary portion adjacent arsenic Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visits the tract of a blast connected the Warsaw-Lublin enactment successful Mika, Poland, Nov. 17, 2025. (KPRM/Handout via REUTERS)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said an probe into the incidental recovered that Russian Secret Services "commissioned the blast of the Polish railway and recruited 2 Ukrainians to bash it."

The railway blast was the latest successful a drawstring of information incidents successful Eastern Europe, pursuing airspace incursions successful September that saw Russian drones participate Poland and 3 MiG-31 combatant jets transverse into Estonia earlier being intercepted by NATO aircraft.