NATO chief warns Putin wants confrontation with Europe

He said people should gird themselves for the prospect that Russia might try to use "swarms of drones" in Europe as it has to deadly effect in Ukraine.

Putin "is trying to crush our freedom and way of life," Rutte said.

The former Dutch prime minister listed Russia's attacks on Georgia in 2008, the annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, and the all-out invasion launched almost three years ago.

"How many more wake-up calls do we need? We should be profoundly concerned. I know I am," he said. "Russia is preparing for long-term confrontation. With Ukraine, and with us."

Rutte's inaugural speech came just over two months after he took office as NATO's top civilian official. He has since toured the capitals of the 32 allies, including a visit to NATO's most important member, the United States to meet with President-elect Donald Trump. 

NATO has been a staunch backer of Ukraine and has helped most of its members funnel weapons, ammunition and other support into the country. But Trump's return, and pledge to end the war quickly, has fuelled concern that an unfavourable truce might be forced on Ukraine.

Russia's Vladimir Putin has the support of allies like China, Iran and North Korea, NATO says. (AP PHOTO)

Asked by the Associated Press how damaging a quick and shoddy peace agreement might be, Rutte said "a bad deal means Putin coming out on top, and that will have worldwide ramifications, not only on Europe and Ukraine." 

He insisted that Ukraine must be involved in any peace talks.

Putin also has the support of allies like China, Iran and North Korea.

Rutte noted defence spending has risen sharply in Europe, with 23 allies expected to reach NATO's target of putting two per cent of GDP into their military budgets. 

But he added: "I can tell you, we are going to need a lot more than two per cent."

Rutte listed a series of recent "hostile actions" by Russia against NATO allies, including cyber-attacks, assassinations, an explosion at a Czech ammunition depot, the jamming of radars in the Baltic region to disrupt air traffic, and the "weaponisation" of migrants to destabilise Europe.

"These attacks are not just isolated incidents. They are the result of a co-ordinated campaign to destabilise our societies and discourage us from supporting Ukraine," he said.

"They circumvent our deterrence and bring the front line to our front doors."

Rutte appealed to governments to provide the defence industry with "the big orders and long-term contracts they need to rapidly produce more and better capabilities."

He added that "freedom does not come for free" to the estimated one billion people living in the Euro-Atlantic area.

"If we don't spend more together now to prevent war, we will pay a much, much, much higher price later to fight it. Not billions, but trillions of euros. That's if we come out on top, and that's if we win," he said.