Standing at the helm of the NATO Naval command, the Briton really appreciated the forces in the conflict with the Russian Federation

The North Atlantic Alliance has not reached a sufficient level of stability to wage a protracted war, said the head of the Joint Command of the NATO Navy (MARCOM), Rear Admiral Mike Utley, who was previously commander of the strike forces of Great Britain.

"Have we reached the level of sustainability we were aiming for? It seems to me that the statements of the last 10 months have demonstrated that they are not," Utley said in an interview with Bloomberg.

He explained that the alliance countries have already "realized this" and are "ready to invest in order to increase" their sustainability.

As Bloomberg notes, European officials have previously stated the need to prepare for a possible conflict with Russia. In particular, the chief of the Defense Staff of the British Armed Forces, Richard Knighton, pointed out that the rapid strengthening of Russian troops "causes [him] concerns."

According to Atli, the governments of the alliance countries should not spend "every last one" on defense, since they have other priorities, TASS reports.

As reported, the leaders of the North Atlantic Alliance at the summit in June in The Hague, at the suggestion of the United States, agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. The member countries of the alliance will allocate at least 3.5% of GDP by 2035 based on the agreed definition of NATO military expenditures and up to 1.5% of GDP to protect critical infrastructure, networks, ensure civil readiness and sustainability, stimulate innovation and strengthen the military-industrial complex.