Rutte: Ukraine is NATO's main issue, not Greenland

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the alliance’s primary focus remains Ukraine, not Greenland, despite heightened attention on the Arctic region, Azernews reports.

Rutte noted that he has been working “behind the scenes” to ease tensions within the alliance and ensure a united approach to current security challenges.

Speaking on defense expenditures, Rutte highlighted the pivotal role of US President Donald Trump’s pressure in prompting NATO member states to commit to higher defense spending. “Without the US pushing, many countries would not have pledged to increase their defense budgets to these levels,” he said, emphasizing that such decisions are crucial for Europe’s security in the face of ongoing threats.

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, who participated in the same panel, described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an “utter strategic failure” for President Vladimir Putin. According to Stubb, the war has inadvertently strengthened NATO by spurring the alliance’s expansion and driving higher defense budgets across Europe, signaling a significant shift in the regional security landscape.