NATO military chief urges businesses to prepare for war scenarios

NATO’s Military Committee Chair Admiral Rob Bauer urged businesses to adapt their production and supply chains to potential war scenarios, emphasizing the strategic importance of commercial decisions to national security.

Speaking at an event hosted by the European Policy Centre in Brussels, Bauer stated that deterrence is not solely reliant on military capabilities but involves the effective use of all available tools.

“We see this in the increasing acts of sabotage. Europe has experienced it in energy supply,” Bauer said, adding, “We thought we had a deal with Gazprom, but in reality, we had a deal with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. The same applies to Chinese-origin infrastructure and goods. Essentially, we have a deal with [Chinese President] Xi Jinping.”

The admiral highlighted that businesses in Europe and the United States need to recognize the strategic implications of their commercial decisions for their countries’ security.

“Businesses must be prepared for war scenarios and adjust their production and distribution lines accordingly,” Bauer stressed.