(4 Dec 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brussels – 4 December 2024
1. Wide of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte arriving for news conference
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General:
"I have said before, not because of (US President-elect, Donald) Trump, but I believe strongly and I know many allies believe strongly that 2% is simply not enough. It is simply not enough if longer term we want to keep our deterrence at the level it is now. Now it is ok, we can now defend ourselves and nobody should try to attack us. But I want that to stay the same in four or five years. So that is the debate that we will be having."
3. Mid of journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General:
"It is absolutely clear, if you want to keep the deterrence at the present level, 2% is not enough. And then to expend on that, the defence industrial base, we are producing not enough at too high prices and the delivery is too slow. So the defence industry needs to put in more shifts, needs to put in more production lines. We cannot have a situation where we just pay more for the same and we see large kickbacks to the shareholders."
5. Close of journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General:
"We need to work closely together to make sure that we produce at a much higher rate and at an acceptable price. And I know that most of the CEOs of the defence companies agree with me, and they see, of course, the money going around. And they also see that the South Korean defence industrial base is getting into the market in a number of countries who are now buying South Korean because our own defence companies are not producing at the rate we need."
7. Camera operator
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General:
"Today, ministers discuss Russia’s increasingly aggressive posture, as well as its escalating campaign of hostile actions in NATO countries. We have seen a steep increase of these attacks and we must hold the perpetrators to account. Both Russia and China have tried to destabilize our countries and divide our societies with acts of sabotage, cyber attacks and energy blackmail. So today, ministers agreed a set of proactive measures to counter Russia’s hostile and cyber activities. These include enhanced intelligence exchanges, more exercises, better protection of critical infrastructure, improved cyber defence, and tougher action against Russia’s shadow fleet of oil exporting ships."
9. Close of camera
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General:
"What is happening in South Korea, this is a, as you know, a fast moving situation and Korea, the Republic of Korea is an important partner to NATO. And therefore we are monitoring developments closely of what is happening now in Seoul and in the wider South Korea. I think that the announcement of the end of martial law indicates South Korea’s ongoing commitment to the rule of law. We continue to monitor the developments. And on your specific question, South Korea is a strong supporter of Ukraine and I expect it will remain so. And our partnership with Seoul has deepened as global threats have grown over the last couple of years. And we commend the Republic of Korea for its significant political and practical support to Ukraine. And as I said this morning, the relationship between NATO and South Korea is ironclad."
11. Rutte leaving news conference
STORYLINE:
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday urged countries in the alliance to spend more on defence, saying that the current rule of members spending 2% of their gross domestic product was inadequate.
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