NATO chief predicts how China could set off World War III: ‘Let’s not be naive about this’

| Published July 7, 2025

A New Cold War Turns Hot? NATO Chief Warns of Looming Global Conflict

As tensions escalate across continents, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has issued a stark warning that the world may be edging dangerously close to a global war. Speaking just days ahead of a major NATO summit, Rutte painted a chilling scenario: a coordinated strike involving a Chinese invasion of Taiwan and a simultaneous Russian assault on NATO’s eastern flank. This, he cautioned, could trigger World War III. Citing growing military cooperation among authoritarian regimes—including Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea—Rutte urged Western nations to abandon naivety and prepare for the reality of a two-front conflict that could reshape the global order.

🧭 Core Warning from NATO Chief Mark Rutte

• Two‑front war scenario: Secretary‑General Mark Rutte warned that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan could be timed with a Russian attack on NATO territory, creating a global conflict on two fronts—Asia and Europe. He stressed that Xi Jinping would likely coordinate with Putin, who he described as a “junior partner,” to embroil NATO forces simultaneously.

• Deterrence and defense spending: To counter this possibility, Rutte urged NATO and Western Pacific allies to significantly boost defense budgets—beyond the longstanding 2% of GDP benchmark—to deter aggressive maneuvers .

• Interconnected security: Rutte emphasized the merging of Indo‑Pacific and Atlantic security threats. He highlighted cooperation among authoritarian regimes—including military and economic ties between Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran—as evidence of this trend.

Context & Expert Perspectives

• Rising concerns about Russian rearmament: Reports note Russia’s military output is surging. One think‑tank warned that Moscow could challenge NATO by 2027 and that Russia’s ammunition production has outpaced NATO’s by a factor of three in quarterly comparisons.

• “Axis of Upheaval”: This geopolitical label describes the increasing coordination among Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Analysts see this emerging bloc as a serious counterweight to Western alliances

• UK military planning: Former UK General Sir Patrick Sanders described the two‑front war scenario as a “nightmare” and advocated for immediate rearmament, including mass production of missiles and drones—suggesting NATO needs to brace for such a crisis within the next two years

🔍 Why This Matters

• Strategic depth: Rutte’s warning underscores how flashpoints in East Asia (Taiwan) are intimately connected to security in Europe, stressing that NATO can’t focus on one region in isolation.

• Urgent policy call: There’s a growing consensus within NATO leadership to boost defense spending well above current levels—targets range from 3.5% to even 5% of GDP—to ensure readiness against coordinated attacks.

• Global authoritarian coordination: The potential military alignment of major authoritarian powers marks a shift in global geopolitics, raising the stakes for Western deterrence.

NATO Chief Mark Rutte warned that China could tap Russia to invade further into Europe to distract the West from responding to the looming invasion of Taiwan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, Russian President Vladimir Putin have touted their partnership in recent years.

🔥 Resulting Effects: A Wake-Up Call for the West

The NATO chief’s warning is more than hypothetical—it’s a jarring confirmation of what many on the right have been sounding the alarm about for years: unchecked globalism, military underfunding, and appeasement policies have emboldened hostile regimes. The growing alliance between communist China and Putin’s resurgent Russia signals the rise of a new authoritarian axis that no longer fears Western retaliation.

1. Military Weakness Exposed

Years of defense cuts across NATO countries—driven by climate spending and globalist priorities—have left the West dangerously unprepared. Now, leaders scramble to reverse the damage, pushing for massive increases in defense budgets. But for many conservatives, the question remains: Why did it take this long?

2. Energy Dependence Fuels Aggression

Europe’s reliance on Russian gas and the West’s obsession with green energy goals have handed authoritarian regimes economic leverage. The Biden administration’s restrictions on domestic oil and gas production are seen as weakening U.S. strategic independence at a time when energy dominance should be a national security priority.

3. Border Sovereignty and Global Chaos

While NATO prepares for global war, Western nations—especially the U.S.—continue to face chaos at their own borders. Many argue that national security starts at home, and if Washington can’t protect its own sovereignty, it’s hardly ready to confront China or Russia abroad.

4. Proof That “America First” Wasn’t Isolationism—It Was Foresight

The push to rebuild U.S. manufacturing, strengthen the military, and secure borders—pillars of the “America First” agenda—now appear not as nationalism, but as necessary preparation. As China and Russia test the West’s will, many voters are demanding leadership that prioritizes strength over diplomacy and deterrence over dependence.

China has held multiple drills along Taiwan as it warned that it will annex the country one day.

Rutte called on NATO nations to bolster their defenses so that Russia would be too scared to invade another European country.

 Bottom Line: Peace Through Strength—Before It’s Too Late

NATO’s warning is not fearmongering—it’s reality catching up with decades of denial. While Western elites dither over climate targets and cultural distractions, China and Russia are preparing for war. The time for polite diplomacy and appeasement is over. What’s needed now is clarity, courage, and conviction.

The West must return to the principles that once secured peace: strong borders, self-reliance, a dominant military, and leadership that doesn’t bow to global pressure. America, in particular, must stop funding its enemies through lopsided trade deals, energy dependency, and weak foreign policy. Deterrence only works when enemies believe you’re willing—and ready—to fight back.

History teaches us that weakness invites aggression. If we don’t confront this growing axis of tyranny with resolve, the next world war won’t be a matter of “if,” but “when.” The free world still has the tools to stop it—but only if we wake up now.

SOURCES: BREITBART – NATO Chief Warns Xi, Putin Will Start World War III with Joint Attacks

THE NEW YORK POST – NATO chief predicts how China could set off World War III: ‘Let’s not be naive about this’

LONDON EVENING STANDARD – World War Three fears as NATO chief warns of joint Xi and Putin attack

THE SUNDAY TIMES – Military chiefs fear ‘nightmare’ double wars against China and Russia