There is no alternative to higher defence spending in light of the ongoing threat from Russia, NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Wednesday.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that NATO was on a path of rampant militarisation and bent on portraying Russia as a "fiend of hell" in order to justify committing to a big increase in member states' defence spending.

The NATO military alliance on Wednesday declared Russia a “long-term threat” to its collective security in a joint summit statement that pledged increased defense spending and reaffirmed “enduring” support for Ukraine.