NATO head Mark Rutte has issued a grim prediction on how World War III could commence, as global conflicts escalate. Speaking from the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, Rutte, who notably referred to Donald Trump as “father” during discussions, shared his alarming scenario.
A Coordinated Global Offensive
Rutte suggested that the next global conflict would be triggered by simultaneous invasions carried out by China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. He elaborated that a combined assault from both leaders could plunge the world into a catastrophic war, potentially bringing Earth to the brink of “Armageddon.”
According to the NATO chief, his prediction involves China initiating an attempt to invade Taiwan, while the Kremlin leader would simultaneously attack NATO territory.
Rutte told the New York Times: “Let’s not be naive about this. If Xi Jinping were to attack Taiwan, he would first make sure to call his junior partner in all of this, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, residing in Moscow, and say: ‘Hey, I’m going to do this, and I need you to do it to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory.'”
Deterrence Through Strength and Interconnectedness
To deter such a coordinated attack, Rutte emphasized two crucial steps:
- NATO’s collective strength: “One is for NATO, collectively, to be so strong that the Russians would never do this.”
- Indo-Pacific cooperation: “And secondly, to work together with the Indo-Pacific – something President Trump is promoting heavily, because we have this close interconnectedness, working together on defense industry, innovation between NATO and the Indo-Pacific.”
Russia’s Reaction and Geopolitical Challenges
Russia, however, swiftly dismissed Rutte’s remarks today, claiming he had “eaten too many of the magic mushrooms beloved by the Dutch” and warned he might look forward to living in a Siberian camp.
Rutte also asserted that a “major geopolitical challenge” is currently unfolding. “And this is, first and foremost, Russia, which is rebuilding at a pace and speed that is unprecedented in recent history. They are now producing three times more ammunition in three months than all of NATO is producing in a year. This is unsustainable, but the Russians are working together with the North Koreans, with the Chinese and the Iranians, the mullahs, in the fight against this unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.”
He concluded by underscoring the growing interconnectedness: “So here, your Indo-Pacific and your Atlantic are becoming increasingly intertwined. We know that China has its eyes on Taiwan.”
