In his first major NATO Foreign Ministers meeting, new Secretary General Mark Rutte set an agenda for deeper engagement in the Middle East and Africa. Tuesday’s meeting marks the first time King Abdullah II of Jordan will join the meetings of ministers, with Rutte telling press the region’s strategic importance is climbing.
“Jordan is one of NATO’s most important partners in the Middle East,” Rutte declared, heralding an imminent opening of a NATO Liaison Office in Amman. This step, he said, will “make our deep relationships in the region even stronger.”
But Rutte made one thing explicit – NATO’s expanded engagement in what he termed the “southern neighborhood” will not come with an extension of Article 5, the collective defense clause that underpins the alliance’s transatlantic security framework. “NATO is the transatlantic and European defense community,” Rutte stated, drawing a line between cooperation and collective obligations.
A world in flux
Rutte’s message landed in the midst of policy changes at the alliance’s largest partner, the United States.
Last night, the outgoing Biden administration approved an additional $725 million in weapons for Ukraine, amidst a broader $6 billion aid package it has been racing to deliver in its final days before the inauguration of former President Donald Trump.
The move aligns with commitments from European allies, including military aid pledges from Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, and Norway. “In Washington, Allies agreed a financial pledge of 40 billion euros of security assistance for this year,” Rutte noted.
Incoming President Trump has vowed to bring an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine on “day one” of his administration, signaling a willingness to broker negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. Rutte avoided any direct comment on Trump’s return to the White House but underscored NATO’s current position, in opening remarks.
“Ukraine has a right to defend itself, and we have a duty to help them,” Rutte said. “The stronger our military support to Ukraine is now, the stronger their hand will be at the negotiating table.”
The Secretary General also sidestepped talk out of the United States about NATO forces on the ground in Ukraine as a part of any peace settlement. “I’m not going to comment on every piece of news coming out of every ally,” he said, focusing instead on the need to coordinate additional military aid.
Ukraine’s winter battle
As Ukraine braces for another grueling winter under assault, Russia’s strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have intensified, targeting the country’s ability to survive the cold months, a strategy pursued by Moscow each fall since the war began.
Pressed by Al Arabiya’s Hadley Gamble on what NATO could do to protect Ukraine’s energy grid, Rutte reaffirmed NATO’s priorities: strengthening Ukraine’s defenses, particularly in air defense systems, while ensuring military aid flows unabated.
When Gamble probed about long-term security guarantees for Ukraine in lieu of NATO membership, Rutte avoided committing to specifics. NATO’s strategy, he insisted, remains step-by-step, focused on immediate needs rather than speculative post-war arrangements.
Russia and China’s growing shadows
Rutte turned to Russia and China’s expanding influence across the Middle East and Africa. “We cannot have a situation in which… the Chinese and the Russians [are] being involved in Africa and other parts of the region, and the West [is] not being involved,” Rutte said, citing comments from the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
In recent days Russia has resumed bombing of Syria in support of the Syrian government, after opposition fighters took hold of the second city of Aleppo in a surprise assault last week. Rutte said allies mustn’t have the discussion about just Russia, without discussing its collective military arrangements. “My view on this is that when we discuss Ukraine, we should discuss the fact that Russia and China but also Iran and, of course, North Korea, they are all working together.”
To counterbalance, NATO’s activities in the region would focus on partnerships and training missions. Rutte pointed to the alliance’s work in Iraq as an example, saying, “We are helping Iraq to build its national defense forces.”
“We cannot lose the Gulf,” he added.
The price of defense
Rutte also made a pointed appeal to allies to boost defense spending beyond the long-standing 2 percent of GDP benchmark. “It will not be enough to stick to 2 percent,” he said, emphasizing the need for greater industrial capacity to meet growing threats from Russia, China, and their allies.
He credited Trump’s earlier pressure on NATO for spurring progress on defense budgets but warned that more must be done, echoing his predecessor, Jens Stoltenberg, who had embraced Trump’s critique of Europe’s lagging contributions.
Jordan as the linchpin
The presence of King Abdullah II of Jordan underscored NATO’s strategic pivot, according to Rutte, who called the monarch’s participation “helpful for years now to steer us on the path with all his knowledge of [the] region.” A new liaison office in Amman symbolizes NATO’s commitment to countering Russian and Chinese influence while strengthening ties with Middle Eastern allies, Rutte said.
A new era, but the same core
In the days following the US presidential election, London and Paris had back channeled the idea through media that European allies might mount a collective defense of Ukraine should US support waver. The dialogue appears to have moved on, especially after analysts dismissed the notion, arguing even if European unity could be found, its military-industrial complex lacks the capacity to produce the necessary hardware.
Rutte emphasized that NATO’s focus over the two-day summit would be to strengthen Ukraine’s position for eventual negotiations, ensuring any agreement with Russia is made from a position of power. “Whenever the Ukrainian government would decide to enter into talks, [it is] for them to decide,” he stated. “The stronger our military support to Ukraine is now, the stronger their hand will be at the negotiating table.”
