NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged not to believe Russian propaganda about the “mighty bear”, stating that due to “staggering losses” in the war against Ukraine, the Russian army is advancing at the speed of a garden snail.
He stated this during a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Anadolu writes.
“They (Russia — ed.) want us to perceive the Russians as a mighty bear, but it can be argued that they are moving through Ukraine at the speed of a garden snail, let's not forget that. And let's not fall into the trap of Russian propaganda,” Rutte said.
According to him, the Russian army suffers huge losses every day: in particular, about 35 thousand people died in December and 30 thousand in January.
Rutte also stressed that close cooperation between NATO and the EU has significantly strengthened collective efforts, including in support of Ukraine, adding that coordination “has never been as strong as it is today.”
Commenting on the results of the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on February 12, he noted a “change in thinking” within the Alliance, especially on the part of European allies.
“We had years, decades of US complaints that we in Europe were not spending enough on defense. That changed with the Hague summit,” the NATO Secretary General noted.
In addition, he emphasized that European countries are now more actively taking responsibility for their own security and playing an increasingly significant leadership role in NATO.
“This is a truly stunning change, and it will make NATO strong, because a strong Europe and a strong NATO means that the transatlantic bond will be stronger than ever,” Rutte added.