NATO chief says E.U. countries can either spend more on defense or ‘get out your Russian language courses’

In his first speech to the European Parliament since taking office, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged E.U. countries on Monday to increase their defense spending, according to Politico.

He also called for raising the alliance’s defense spending target beyond its current benchmark of 2 percent of each country’s GDP — a goal that only 24 of the bloc’s 32 members currently meet.

Rutte said one of his priorities is to “bring NATO and the E.U. closer together” to counter an ongoing Russian “destabilization campaign” and address other threats, including those from Iran and China.

If European defense spending doesn’t rise, he warned, citizens might need to “get out your Russian language courses or go to New Zealand.”

Noting that Europe is currently “neither at war nor at peace,” Rutte stressed that increased investment in defense “cannot wait,” adding, “We need to boost the resilience of our societies and critical infrastructure.”