NATO Secretary General at the Rotterdam City Hall event - Resilience is everyone’s responsibility

Speaking to top executives from across the Dutch public and private sector at an event in the City Hall of Rotterdam on Tuesday (26 May 2026), Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasised that resilience is not something national governments can do alone, and not something NATO and the military can do alone - it is a shared responsibility. "Citizens and businesses must also take responsibility and be prepared", he said.

Mr Rutte highlighted three areas - energy, infrastructure, and societies - where public and private sector coordination and contributions are essential to ensure greater resilience and civil preparedness, not just in The Netherlands, but across all of NATO. In more dangerous times, he urged participants to do more, urgently and all together, to support more robust energy supplies, more resilient infrastructure and stronger societies. ​

In his remarks, the Secretary General highlighted the importance of the Port of Rotterdam as an indispensable entry point for troops and equipment coming into Europe in the event of a conflict on NATO territory.