Rutte, who became NATO secretary-general in 2024, told the Wall Street Journal that the immediate challenge has shifted from securing pledges to delivering weapons and combat-ready forces as hundreds of billions of dollars flow into European militaries. A year ago it was about commitments to raise spending, he said; this year the key is delivery. He said roughly $300 billion of equipment has been ordered from US firms and warned NATO is essentially hitting its absorption limit. Governments face

Rutte, who became NATO secretary-general in 2024, told the Wall Street Journal that the immediate challenge has shifted from securing pledges to delivering weapons and combat-ready forces as hundreds of billions of dollars flow into European militaries. A year ago it was about commitments to raise spending, he said; this year the key is delivery. He said roughly $300 billion of equipment has been ordered from US firms and warned NATO is essentially hitting its absorption limit. Governments face two bottlenecks: industrial capacity — strained by restocking after the Ukraine conflict and heavy ammunition use by the US and allies in the war with Iran — and the ability to recruit and train personnel to expand operational forces.