A top military official with NATO warned businesses on Monday to be ready for a wartime scenario, which could entail adjusting production and distribution lines to be less vulnerable to blackmail from Russia and China.
Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, the chairperson of NATO’s military committee, told attendees at an event of the European Policy Center think tank in Brussels that all available instruments could be used during a time of war, according to a report from Reuters.
‘If we can make sure that all crucial services and goods can be delivered no matter what, then that is a key part of our deterrence,’ Bauer said.
He also said NATO is seeing a growing number of sabotage acts while Europe has seen the same when it comes to its energy supply.
‘We thought we had a deal with Gazprom, but we actually had a deal with Mr. Putin. And the same goes for Chinese-owned infrastructure and goods. We actually have a deal with [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping],’ Bauer told the group.
The west, Bauer explained, depends on supplies from China, as 60% of all rare earth materials are produced, and 90% of those are processed there.
Also coming from China are chemical ingredients for sedatives, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and low blood pressure medications, he further explained.
‘We are naive if we think the Communist Party will never use that power,’ Bauer said. ‘Business leaders in Europe and America need to realize that the commercial decisions they make have strategic consequences for the security of their nation.’
‘Businesses need to be prepared for a wartime scenario and adjust their production and distribution lines accordingly,’ he continued to stress. ‘Because while it may be the military who wins battles, it’s the economies that win wars.’
Bauer’s message comes as tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate.
Last week, Russia launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads, into Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials said the missile called Oreshnik — Russian for Hazel Tree — reached speeds of Mach 11 when it struck a factory in the city of Dnipro on Thursday.
While two U.S. officials told Fox News the missile was not hypersonic, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Thursday the attack was concerning and that it was the first time the missile had been used on the battlefield.
North Korea also sent at least 11,000 soldiers to fight in Ukraine alongside Russian soldiers, further escalating tensions.
Reuters contributed to this report.