NATO's top official warned its members on Thursday that the alliance is not prepared for the multiple global threats coalescing at once and that a much greater military spend will be required by all nations in the alliance.

Speaking at an event hosted by Carnegie Europe in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on the allies to "shift to a wartime mindset and turbo-charge our defense spending."

Currently 23 out of 32 members will meet the required spend, but Rutte said all nations will need to exceed that number to confront the threats posed by Russia and its burgeoning alliances with China, North Korea, and Iran. The secretary general noted that during the Cold War, European nations paid 3% of their GDP on defense and that, under Vladimir Putin, Russia has committed 5.9% of its gross domestic product to the military.

"Russia is preparing for long-term confrontation, with Ukraine and with us," Rutte said, adding, "If we don't spend more together now to prevent war, we will pay a much, much higher price for it later."

Rutte, who served as prime minister of the Netherlands from 2010 to 2024, said the governments of the allied nations must "stop creating barriers between each other and between industries, banks, and pension funds." He warned, "We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years."

President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the alliance if more members don't meet the minimum 2% of GDP spending requirement. Speaking to NBC News "Meet the Press" on Sunday, Trump reiterated his promise, saying he would "absolutely" pull the U.S. out of NATO. He added, "If they're paying their bills, and if I think they're treating us fairly, the answer is absolutely, I'd stay with NATO."

Rutte's ominous warning echoes those of fellow NATO official Rob Bauer. The Dutch admiral and chair of NATO's military committee urged businesses in November to alter their production and distribution lines in preparation for a wartime footing. "If we can make sure that all crucial services and goods can be delivered no matter what, then that is a key part of our deterrence," he said.

Rutte encouraged the defense industry to seize the opportunity and plan accordingly. "There is money on the table, and it will only increase. So dare to innovate and take risks," he said.

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