BRUSSELS — A senior NATO military official has called on businesses to prepare for potential wartime scenarios by adjusting production and supply chains to reduce vulnerabilities to economic coercion by countries such as Russia and China.
Speaking at an event hosted by the European Policy Centre in Brussels on Nov 25, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of NATO’s military committee, emphasized that effective deterrence extends beyond military capabilities to include robust economic resilience.
“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,” Adm Bauer said, warning of increasing sabotage and economic dependencies that threaten Western security.
He cited Europe’s energy reliance on Russian firm Gazprom and heavy dependence on China for rare earth materials and pharmaceutical ingredients. “We are naive if we think the Communist Party will never use that power,” he warned.
Adm Bauer urged business leaders in Europe and the U.S. to recognize the strategic consequences of their commercial decisions, stressing that economic strength is vital to national security. “While it may be the military who wins battles, it’s the economies that win wars,” he concluded.