NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday delivered dire warnings about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the growing threat of war that Europe faces from the Kremlin.
Why it matters: Rutte warned that Putin won't stop his aggression with Ukraine and could look to attack NATO countries within five years.
- "Conflict is at our door," Rutte said. "Russia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured."
- The White House and Russian Embassy did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment Thursday.
Threat level: Rutte said NATO has increased vigilance and strengthened deference along its eastern flank border with Russia.
- In less than a week this year, Russia launched drone incursions on both Polish and Romanian airspace. Russian fighter jets entered and stayed in Estonian airspace as well.
- Rutte mentioned targets beyond critical infrastructure, like attacks on commercial warehouses and shopping centers. "Such incidents put lives in danger and raise the risk of escalation," he said.
Zoom in: Rutte said that President Trump is the "the only one" who can get Putin to the negotiating table.
- "So, let's put Putin to the test, let's see if he really wants peace, or if he prefers the slaughter to continue," Rutte said.
Context: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that the Trump administration hopes to reach a "full understanding" over its peace plan by Christmas.
- A meeting is set for Saturday with senior officials from Ukraine, France, Germany and the U.K. Zelensky faces growing pressure to accept Trump's 20-point peace plan, which would require Ukraine to concede territorial losses and hold swift elections.
- Trump said earlier this week that Russia has a stronger negotiating position than Ukraine in ending the war.
The bottom line: "During the Cold War, President Reagan warned about the 'aggressive impulses of an evil empire,'" Rutte said. "Today, President Putin is in the empire-building business again."
Go deeper: Putin's war is "not just about Ukraine," says Estonian ambassador
