Rutte Urges Europe to Expand Defense Production While Buying U.S. Weapons
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on European states to rapidly increase domestic defense production while continuing large-scale purchases of U.S. weapons systems. He argued that Europe’s industrial capacity cannot yet meet operational demand.
Mark Rutte has urged European governments to pursue a dual-track approach to rearmament, combining accelerated investment in European defense manufacturing with continued procurement of U.S. weapons. Speaking in Brussels, he indicated that current security conditions require immediate access to available systems, even if those are sourced outside Europe.
Rutte emphasized that European defense industry output remains insufficient to meet the pace of demand generated by NATO capability targets, stockpile replenishment, and sustained military assistance to Ukraine. According to his assessment, relying exclusively on European suppliers in the short term would risk delivery delays and capability gaps.
At the same time, he underlined the need for Europe to significantly expand its own industrial base, including ammunition production, air defense, and land systems. He pointed to recent EU initiatives aimed at scaling manufacturing capacity but acknowledged that these efforts will take time to translate into operational output.
The remarks come amid ongoing debate within the European Union over defense industrial strategy, with some member states pushing for stronger preference rules favoring European suppliers. Rutte signaled caution toward restrictive procurement policies, suggesting that urgent security needs should take precedence over industrial protection measures.
He also noted that interoperability within NATO remains a central consideration, arguing that U.S.-made systems continue to play a key role in alliance planning and force integration. Purchases from the United States, he said, should be viewed as complementary rather than contradictory to European industrial growth.
For Central and Eastern European allies, the approach reflects existing procurement patterns, where U.S. platforms have been selected to rapidly modernize forces while domestic and regional industrial capacity is gradually expanded. Rutte’s position suggests NATO leadership is prioritizing near-term readiness over longer-term industrial autonomy.
