NATO urges boost in defence as Russian force quality wanes

- Currently, the Russians do not pose the same threat as in February 2022, so we have some time to prepare - said the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Rob Bauer, as reported by the Reuters agency.

- The quality of these forces has decreased - Bauer noted a reduction in the level of equipment and training of Russian soldiers.

In response to this, Bauer called on Western countries to increase investment in the defence industry. He stressed the need to enhance their own military capabilities in light of the changing geopolitical situation.

The NATO chairman urged companies to adjust their production and distribution lines to be less vulnerable to pressure from Russia and China. He stated that becoming independent from these countries is crucial for security.

- If we can ensure that all key services and goods are delivered regardless of circumstances, that is a critical part of our deterrence - he emphasised at a meeting at the European Policy Centre. - We thought we had a deal with Gazprom, but in fact, we had a deal with Mr Putin. The same applies to infrastructure and goods linked to China. In reality, we have a deal with (Chinese President) Xi (Jinping) - Bauer assessed.

Bauer highlighted the dependency of Western economies on Chinese raw materials. He emphasised that 60% of the world's production of rare earth materials comes from China, and nearly 90% is processed there. He also noted that chemical ingredients of medicines, such as antibiotics, tranquillisers, or anti-inflammatory agents, are also produced in China.

- We are naive if we think the Communist Party of China will never use this power. Business leaders in Europe and America must realise that the trade decisions they make have strategic consequences for their countries' security. (…) Although the military can win battles, economies win wars - emphasised the NATO military officer, quoted by Reuters.