NATO’s Secretary-General has issued a stark warning about the growing threat posed by Russia and China — claiming their deepening partnership risks dragging the world closer to a World War 3. Mark Rutte, who took office in October 2024, said the authoritarian alliance between Moscow and Beijing now poses a direct threat to global security — particularly as the two regimes grow bolder in their territorial ambitions.
Mr Rutte described a world in which Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and China’s growing military pressure on Taiwan appeared increasingly coordinated, raising the spectre of a wider conflict. He said: “What is happening in Ukraine has direct links to what might potentially happen around Taiwan. There is a link between Russia and China here. And if the West gets this wrong, we may be forced into the worst possible scenario.”
That scenario, he made clear, could involve global war.
Mr Rutte told the New York Times: “If Ukraine falls, the message to President Xi is: You can go ahead with Taiwan, because the West will not stand up for its values.”
While careful not to say outright that war was inevitable, the former Dutch Prime Minister painted a grim picture of escalating global instability unless democracies show unity and resolve.
He added: “We are really at a moment where all of this comes together. This is not just about Ukraine. It is about global stability.”
His warning comes as NATO prepares to mark its 75th anniversary — and amid fears that a second Trump presidency could shake the alliance to its foundations.
Mr Rutte, who held power in the Netherlands for 14 years before moving to Brussels, acknowledged that Mr Trump’s combative approach to defence spending had forced European nations to “step up”.
He said: “Eight countries at 2% this year would never have happened without Trump. The whole of NATO committing to 5% would not have happened without President Trump.”
However, he also made clear that any US withdrawal from NATO — or hesitation in defending an ally — would only embolden Moscow and Beijing.
He warned: “In that case we are in serious trouble.”
Mr Rutte’s comments follow repeated statements by Chinese officials describing Taiwan as a “domestic matter” and warning of military retaliation should the island formally declare independence.
At the same time, Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to grind on, with President Putin recently boasting of battlefield advances and threatening to use tactical nuclear weapons if Western forces intervene directly.
Pressed on whether the alliance could survive if its members no longer share basic democratic values, Mr Rutte dodged direct criticism of Hungary or Turkey but insisted NATO remained strong.
He said: “Of course, there are debates on values. That’s exactly why this alliance is so alive and so strong.”
Mr Rutte also defended the U.S. against accusations of democratic backsliding, despite growing international concerns over Mr Trump’s authoritarian rhetoric. “I think the US is still one of the strongest democracies on Earth,” he said.
Asked whether NATO could function without the United States, Mr Rutte was blunt: “It won’t come to that. I have no doubt of America being the leader in the world and also within NATO.”
But he hinted that conversations behind closed doors were far more candid than the public might realise, particularly when it came to controversial topics such as Hungary’s ties to Russia or hypothetical threats against NATO allies like Canada or Greenland.
“Sometimes internally, without the press there — and that is not very democratic, but that’s the only way to do it — you have your discussions and your debates,” he said.
Despite the alliance’s internal tensions, Mr Rutte insisted the world had no choice but to confront the joint threat posed by Russia and China.
“This is about preventing a global conflict. If we get it wrong in Ukraine, the next flashpoint could be in Asia — and by then, it may be too late.”