The Secretary General thanked Romania for its leadership on Black Sea security, increased defence spending, and steadfast support for Ukraine. He later met senior national officials before addressing the NATO-Industry Forum in Bucharest on 6 November.
The forum, held under the theme “Rearming NATO – Innovate, Accelerate, Sustain,” brought together NATO leaders, policymakers, and defence industry executives to enhance cooperation and strengthen industrial readiness. “There simply is no strong defence without a strong defence industry,” Rutte stated, as Allies work toward increasing defence investment to 5% of GDP by 2035.
Rutte said, “We are now turning these decisions into action, and for this, we need you,” urging industry leaders to step up production and innovation to meet growing security demands. Warning of persistent threats, he added: “Russia will remain a destabilizing force in Europe and the world,” citing its ties with China, Iran and North Korea, who are “preparing for long term confrontation.”
“We cannot be naive. We must be prepared,” the Secretary General cautioned, expressing confidence in NATO and its partners “to out-gun, out-produce and out-smart those that seek to harm or diminish us.” He encouraged industry to “be ready to step up supply, expand existing production lines and open new ones,” reaffirming NATO’s commitment to faster procurement and innovation support.
Following the forum, Rutte met students at the University of Bucharest, where he discussed NATO’s role in addressing current and emerging security challenges. His visit underscored Romania’s growing significance in regional defence and NATO’s focus on long-term strategic readiness.
