From the perspective of its Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, NATO must prepare for the possibility of a decades-long confrontation with Russia. “NATO is not looking for war with Russia,” Stoltenberg told “Welt am Sonntag”. “But we have to prepare ourselves for a confrontation that could last decades.” He once again called on the allies to expand their arms industry more quickly.
“If (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wins in Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russian aggression will not spread to other countries,” the Norwegian warned. The best defense now is to support Ukraine and invest in NATO’s military capabilities. “Deterrence only works if it is credible,” he said.
“We need to restore and expand our industrial base more quickly so that we can increase deliveries to Ukraine and replenish our own stocks,” demanded Stoltenberg. “This means moving from slow production in times of peace to fast production, as required in conflict.” He therefore called for more and faster orders for Europe’s defense companies: In market economies, weapons manufacturers need signed contracts so that they can ramp up production, argued Stoltenberg.
The NATO Secretary General warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was preparing his country’s economy for a long war. “Because Russia is gearing its entire economy towards war, we also have to do more for our security.”
