Mark Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister, urged NATO citizens to accept sacrifices, including cuts to pensions and health systems, to increase defense spending for long-term security in Europe. He emphasized the need for a wartime mindset and warned that current spending levels are insufficient to deter threats, particularly from Russia. Rutte called for public support for increased defense budgets and criticized the low investment in defense compared to social security. The EU's defense commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, echoed these sentiments, advocating for more funding for defense initiatives. Teljes cikk (Euronews.com)