NATO’s top military commander issued a stark warning to businesses on Monday: prepare for potential wartime conditions. This preparedness should include restructuring production and distribution networks to minimize vulnerability to Russian and Chinese coercion.

Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of NATO’s military committee, addressed attendees at a European Policy Center think tank event in Brussels. He emphasized the potential use of all available resources in a conflict, as reported by Reuters.

“Ensuring the delivery of vital goods and services regardless of circumstances is crucial for deterrence,” Bauer stated.

He highlighted a rise in sabotage incidents, echoing similar trends affecting Europe’s energy supplies. Bauer noted that past agreements, such as those with Gazprom and concerning Chinese infrastructure and goods, proved unreliable, emphasizing the need to account for potential actions by the Chinese government.

The West’s reliance on China was underscored, with Bauer pointing out that China produces 60% of all rare earth materials, processing 90% of that total.

He further detailed China’s role in supplying crucial chemical ingredients for essential medications, including sedatives, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and blood pressure medications.

“It would be naive to believe the Communist Party would never leverage this influence,” Bauer warned. “European and American business leaders must recognize that their commercial decisions carry significant strategic implications for national security.”

“Businesses must be ready for a wartime scenario and adapt their production and distribution chains accordingly,” he stressed. “Military victories are won on the battlefield, but economic strength wins wars.”

Bauer’s warning comes amidst heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Last week, Russia launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads into Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials reported the missile, known as Oreshnik (Hazel Tree in Russian), reached speeds of Mach 11 upon striking a factory in Dnipro on Thursday.

While two U.S. officials indicated the missile was not hypersonic, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh expressed concern over the attack, noting it was the missile’s first battlefield deployment.

Further escalating tensions, North Korea reportedly deployed at least 11,000 soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

Reuters contributed to this report.