NATO may not be enough to deter war: Defense Minister

NATO may not provide enough deterrence to prevent war in Europe, Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said Wednesday, de Telegraaf reports. Europe should engage in greater military cooperation and its countries should invest more in defense, Hennis-Plasschaert stated at a conference on the future of armed forces. She added that NATO can only benefit from a strong Europe and strengthened transatlantic ties. The minister expressed a desire for the Netherlands to be prepared under all circumstances. She referred, among other things, to Russia's unstable behavior of late. Since annexing the Crimea last year, Russia has played an active role in the eastern Ukrainian conflict. "Over the past decades, the alliance has shown what it can achieve. But the continuation of that success cannot be taken for granted," Hennis-Plasschaert said. She explained that the Dutch Army has been working closely with Belgium and Germany and will expand cooperation with other countries. Article 5 of NATO's charter states that an attack on one member state is an attack on all member states, which is meant to create a deterrent effect, according to de Telegraaf. The Future Force Conference took place at the National Military Museum in Soest. On invitation from Dutch defense chief General Tom MiddendorpIt, 450 leaders from the Netherlands and abroad united, discussing the challenges faced by the military and possible solutions.