Mark Rutte supports EU plans for a European Security Council

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has expressed support for European Commission proposals to enhance the European Union's military resilience. Specifically, Rutte endorsed the creation of a European Security Council and the implementation of emergency consultations for threatened member states.

Proposed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the council would serve as a consultative body for EU leaders, potentially including allies such as the United Kingdom and Ukraine. The mechanism is designed to address ‘hybrid’ attacks—actions occurring in the gray zone between peace and war—similar to the function of Article 4 within NATO.

Rutte emphasized that the EU has a responsibility to address hybrid warfare, including cyberattacks and sabotage, which can cause division within NATO. He envisions a division of labor where the EU utilizes its economic and political influence alongside NATO's military capabilities.