The Dutch government has warned that Russia could launch a limited military operation against a NATO member after the war in Ukraine and announced plans to invest an additional €20 billion in defense by 2035.

Axar.az informs, citing the Dutch newspaper NU.nl, that intelligence assessments indicate that Russia is preparing for a long-term confrontation with Europe.

The report says that in the worst-case scenario, Moscow could begin a "limited war" against a NATO country once hostilities in Ukraine come to an end.

In response, the Netherlands plans to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, in line with NATO targets, while shifting its military strategy toward drones, artificial intelligence, and cyber capabilities.

The defense strategy states that the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the growing importance of unmanned systems, introducing the principle of "unmanned where possible, manned where necessary." Within five years, the Dutch military aims for more than half of its operational effects to be delivered by unmanned systems.

The government also said the additional investment is driven not only by the perceived threat from Russia, but also by China's increasingly assertive posture and growing uncertainty over long-term U.S. security guarantees for Europe.