NATO chief warns of potential Europe-wide conflict with Russia
Every week, more than 10,000 people are killed or wounded on both sides of the conflict, said the NATO Secretary General, urging allies to prepare for a potential war with Russia. "What is happening in Ukraine could happen here too," he warned.
NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, cautioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to "wipe Ukraine off the map" and may target other parts of Europe.
Over 1 million people have been killed or wounded in the war in Ukraine - these figures were presented during a Thursday speech in Brussels.
The bloodiest conflict
Every week, more than 10,000 people are killed or wounded on each side, said the NATO chief. He described the events in Ukraine as the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The true number of casualties in the war in Ukraine remains controversial. Recently, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that approximately 43,000 soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have died, and 370,000 have been wounded since the start of the conflict, although half of them have returned to service. Donald Trump mentioned 600,000 killed and wounded on the Russian side and 400,000 on the Ukrainian side. The British magazine The Economist estimated Ukraine's losses at 60,000 to 100,000 killed. Journalists from BBC and Mediazona confirmed the death of more than 78,000 Russians on the front lines.
NATO Secretary General calls for preparations for a potential war with Russia
In his speech in Brussels, Rutte called for preparations for a mid-term conflict with Russia.
"We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years," said the politician. "What is happening in Ukraine could happen here too," he stated.
Currently, as Rutte continued, there is no "imminent military threat" from Russia, but Russia is preparing for a "long-term confrontation with Ukraine and with us."
The NATO Secretary General urged alliance members to "shift to a wartime mindset" and increase military spending to a "turbo" level. "We can prevent the next great war on NATO territory," he said.
"If we don’t spend more together now to prevent war, we will pay a much, much, much higher price later to fight it. Not billions, but trillions of euros. That’s if we come out on top, and that’s if we win," Rutte warned.
