As Russia's war machine grinds through tens of thousands of its own soldiers each month while striking Ukrainian hospitals and European airports alike, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stood in Berlin to offer a counterintuitive reading of the moment: that desperation, not strength, is driving Moscow's escalating aggression. Speaking to German ambassadors in September 2026, Rutte argued that hybrid attacks on European soil and relentless bombardment of Ukrainian civilians are the gestures of a regime that cannot win by conventional means. History has often shown that pressure meant to fractur
Nato chief Rutte warns Russia's reckless actions strengthen European defence resolve
Russia suffers estimated 40,000+ killed or seriously wounded monthly in Ukraine; Russian attacks target Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure; Poland faces threats to border crossings with Ukraine.
War & Conflict