NATO’s new Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated on Tuesday that the Chinese Communist Party has become a key enabler for Russia in the conflict in Ukraine.
Rutte, the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, took office as the 14th Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Tuesday. At a critical moment in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he expressed strong support for Ukraine and condemned the Chinese Communist Party for becoming a “decisive enabler” for Russia in the war in Ukraine.
He emphasized that the cost of supporting Ukraine is far lower than the cost that Putin would incur in achieving victory in this conflict.
On Tuesday, Rutte reiterated his strong support for Ukraine and expressed confidence in working with either former President Donald Trump or current Vice President Kamala Harris, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming U.S. elections.
“I’m not worried,” he told reporters. “I worked with Donald Trump for four years. He was the one who pushed for increased defense spending and he did it, because our current spending levels are much higher than when he took office.”
According to NATO estimates, out of the 32 member countries, 23 now allocate at least 2% of their GDP towards defense goals, compared to just three countries meeting this standard a decade ago.
Officials have noted that this increase can be attributed partly to the push by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and also thanks to Trump’s efforts.
Rutte acknowledged that Trump was right in pushing NATO to focus more on the Chinese Communist Party. He reiterated NATO’s stance that China, by providing crucial technology to Russia, has become a “decisive enabler” for Russia in the Ukraine conflict.
According to Reuters on September 25, based on information revealed by two European intelligence officials and documents seen by Reuters, Russia has set up a weapons program with China aimed at developing and producing long-range attack drones for the Ukraine conflict. The White House has stated that this appears to be another example of a Chinese company providing lethal aid to sanctioned Russian firms.
A report published by Nikkei Asia on July 1 of last year found that between December 2022 and April 2023, Russian companies imported at least 37 Chinese drones worth around $103,000, clearly marked in customs records as intended for “special military operations,” though Beijing has denied this.
In an exclusive report by CNN on March 16 last year, it was revealed that a Chinese-manufactured drone, modified and armed, was shot down in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian military personnel discovered that the drone was a commercial Mugin-5 drone manufactured by Xiamen Mugin Intelligence Technology Company, equipped with a bomb weighing approximately 44 pounds (about 20 kilograms).
Rutte also praised Kamala Harris, stating that she has an “excellent record as Vice President” and is a “respected leader.”
Regarding the Ukraine conflict, when asked about Ukraine’s prospects for victory, he avoided giving a direct answer. Most weapons and ammunition supplies to Ukraine are provided by NATO member countries.
Rutte stated that the situation on the battlefield is “difficult,” and although Russia has made “limited” progress this year, it has come at a high cost. He mentioned that an estimated 1,000 Russian soldiers are killed or injured daily.
“We must ensure that Ukraine, as an independent, democratic, sovereign country, emerges victorious,” he emphasized. He remains consistent with his predecessor, Jens Stoltenberg, in identifying three main priorities – ensuring NATO is capable of responding to any threat, supporting Ukraine, and addressing global challenges through cooperation with “near and far” partners.
The Kremlin stated on Tuesday that they do not expect any improvement in relations with NATO under Rutte’s leadership.