OUTCOME OF WAR IN UKRAINE COULD HAVE BEARING IN ASIA – Says NATO’s Rutte
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Wednesday (April 9) that China is closely watching the ongoing war in Ukraine and that the outcome of the war could have a substantial impact on security in Asia.
Speaking at Keio university in Tokyo, Rutte said the conflict highlighted the links in the European and Pacific security environments.
“If we allow Putin to use force to achieve his aims, it will not go unnoticed. It’s Ukraine today. It could be East Asia tomorrow,” he said.
The NATO chief also defended U.S. President Donald Trump’s long-running drive to push NATO members to spend a greater proportion of their national budgets on defence, saying it was “only logical” that European NATO allies should match American spending in percentage terms.
