NATO chief says Germany leads ‘NATO 3.0’ shift towards greater European responsibility, defence output and support for Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described a post-Cold War transformation he called NATO 3.0, in which European allies and Canada assume greater responsibility while working with the United States. Speaking in Berlin on September 10, he credited Germany's permanent armoured brigade in Lithuania, the First German-Netherlands Corps' new eastern-flank command role, allied air and naval deployments, and rising defence-industry output. Rutte also expressed solidarity after a reported Russian hybrid attack at Leipzig airport and linked the alliance response to continued support for Ukraine. The remarks framed Germany's leadership and burden-sharing direction but announced no new force, budget or weapons commitment.