1026 GMT - It is impossible to keep NATO safe in four to five years' time unless defense spending is increased, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte tells a World Economic Forum panel at Davos, Switzerland. The war front in Ukraine isn't moving in the right direction as it is heads westward but Russia is paying a high price for this in human and economic terms. The U.S. might keep or increase its aid to Ukraine to force Putin to negotiate while "we in Europe will have to pay more," he says. Europe needs to do more in conjunction with the U.S. to help choke a struggling Russian economy via further sanctions, he says. (anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 23, 2025 05:26 ET (10:26 GMT)

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