We must prepare for scale of war our grandparents endured, Nato chief chillingly warns…as he reveals Putin’s next target

NATO chief Mark Rutte has urged the West to prepare for war “like our grandparents endured”.
He warned the UK and other allies are next in Russia’s sights – and said member states must rapidly boost defence spending.
Speaking at a security conference event in Berlin, Rutte said: “We are Russia’s next target. I fear that too many are quietly complacent.
“Too many don’t feel the urgency. And too many believe that time is on our side. It is not. The time for action is now.
“Conflict is at our door. Russia has brought war back to Europe. And we must be prepared.”
Rutte predicted that Russia could engage the alliance in direct conflict within the next five years.
Coming from the chief of Nato, this is no scaremongering – but a genuine warning to be heeded.
Russia has proven these fears valid even within the past 24 hours.
The Kremlin has sought to exploit the death of Lance Corporal George Hooley – a British paratrooper in Ukraine – as justification for expanding its aggression .
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, said any European servicemen in Ukraine would be regarded as legitimate targets.
Also this week, Nato was forced to scramble fighter jets after the Russian forces overnight launched one of the biggest attacks of the war so far.
Moscow bombed Ukraine with 653 drones and 53 hypersonic and ballistic missiles across 60 waves of airstrikes, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
Footage showed massive flames erupting from buildings as explosions ripped through the country.
Nato member Poland said its Air Force scrambled fighter jets as “a preventive measure” due to the nature of the attacks.
Responding to the growing pressure, France last month announced it would ramp up its National Service.
Volunteers will soon be placed on ten-month deployments for a £9,000 pay packet, Macron announced.
And France’s top general recently warned that the country must be ready to “lose our children” as the reality of war against Russia looms larger.
Rutte was speaking in the wake of an astonishing tirade directed at Europe from America – that was tellingly welcomed by Moscow.
A report signed by Trump warned the continent stands on the edge of “civilisational erasure” – and blasted its woke “censorship” and “mass migration” policies.
Then, in an interview with Politico, Trump disparaged Europe as “decaying” and its leaders as “weak”.
However, Rutte in Berlin insisted that America’s safety relies on a stable Europe – even if Trump doesn’t know it.
Labour’sPeter Kyle today hit back against the US insults.
Speaking to The Sun’s Harry Cole Saves the West, he said it was nothing new that President Trump is at odds with Europe.
He said: “President Trump has for a long time had a sort of bee in his bonnet, as you say, about Europe and also about the world as it is.
“He sees the world differently from his predecessors. That is not new.”
Kyle continued: “Don’t forget when he came over just a short while ago, he brought £150 billion worth of trade with him.
“America is speaking with its investment when it comes to Britain at the moment.
“They are investing heavily into Britain, in AI, into lots of different sectors across the UK. And this isn’t just money that’s going into London.”
Meanwhile, a herculean diplomatic effort is ongoing to forge a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump held a call with the leaders of France, the UK, and Germany on Wednesday, all of whom President Zelensky met in London earlier in the week.
They requested a meeting in Europe this weekend, but Trump said he wouldn’t bother coming unless there’s a real chance of a deal.
He said on Wednesday: “We want to know some things before a meeting. We don’t want to waste time.”