NATO’s Secretary General: 'We are all under direct threat from Russians'
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
Even countries not directly bordering Russia are under threat from Moscow’s latest missile technologies, stated NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a press conference in Luxembourg.
The NATO chief stressed that the threat from Russia is growing every day.
"Let’s not be naive about it. This might also involve one day Luxembourg, or my country, the Netherlands. We are all safe now. We think we are far away from Russia, but we are very close. And the latest Russian missile technology, for example, the difference now between Lithuania on the frontline, and Luxembourg, The Hague, or Madrid is 5 to 10 minutes. That’s the time it takes this missile to reach these parts of Europe. So we are all under direct threat from Russians," Rutte said.
He emphasized that the threat concerns all members of the Alliance, regardless of their location, and confirmed the United States’ commitment to NATO’s interests.
Rutte added that for the United States to be safe, the Atlantic, Europe, and the Arctic must also remain secure. Otherwise, America itself would be at risk.
Europe prepares for possible war with Russia
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, fears of new aggression from Moscow have grown in Europe. Countries have begun actively preparing, modernizing their armies, and developing defense plans in the event of a possible attack.
In June 2025 in London, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Russia could be ready for conflict with the Alliance within the next five years.
A similar warning was issued by Chief of the Defense Staff of the French Armed Forces Thierry Burkhard. According to him, in five years, Russia could become a real threat to Europe, given the pace of rearmament by Russia.
Whether Putin is ready for war with the West and how NATO will respond, read more in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
