A NATO chief has delivered a warning that World War III could begin with a joint attack from Russia and China.
Tensions have been growing across the globe, and many now fear that we could be on the brink of war.
NATO’s new secretary general Mark Rutte hasn't done much to ease worries with his new chilling warning. Rutte warned that Xi Jinping could attempt to annex Taiwan while Vladimir Putin invades NATO territory in Europe, forcing a global crisis that would test the West’s strength like never before.
“Let’s not be naïve about this," Rutte told the New York Times. "If Xi Jinping would attack Taiwan, he would first make sure that he makes a call to his very junior partner in all of this, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, residing in Moscow, and telling him, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this, and I need you to to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory.’
"That is most likely the way this will progress."
Rutte stressed that only a united and re-armed NATO could deter Beijing and Moscow from executing such a catastrophic plan.
“One is that NATO, collectively, being so strong that the Russians will never do this,” he explained. “And second, working together with the Indo-Pacific - something President [Donald] Trump is very much promoting. Because we have this close interconnectedness, working together on the defense industry, innovation between NATO and the Indo-Pacific.”
Experts have warned that despite massive losses in Ukraine, Russia could rebuild its forces by 2027 and may attempt to test NATO’s Article 5 commitment by moving against the Baltic states.
Article 5 is the backbone of NATO, stating that an attack on one member is an attack on all, obligating collective defense in the event of aggression.
Rutte cautioned that Russia is rearming at a speed “which is unparalleled in recent history” while Western defense spending remains insufficient.
“They are now producing three times as much ammunition in three months as the whole of NATO is doing in a year. This is unsustainable, but the Russians are working together with the North Koreans, with the Chinese and Iranians, the mullahs, in fighting this unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine,” he said.
“So here, the Indo-Pacific and your Atlantic are getting more and more interconnected. We know that China has its eye on Taiwan.”
The Kremlin wasted no time responding to Rutte’s comments, with Russian propagandists mocking the Dutch NATO leader in typical style.
Kremlin mouthpieces claimed Rutte had “gorged on too many of the magic mushrooms beloved by the Dutch.”
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev took to X/Twitter to add: “He sees collusion between China & Russia over Taiwan, and then a Russian attack on Europe. But he's right about one thing: he should learn Russian. It might come in handy in a Siberian camp.”