Kateryna Chornovol19:52, 13.01.25

Rutte noted that peace can only be long-lasting when Ukraine comes to the negotiating table from a position of strength.

The future of global security depends on the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war. More military support for Ukraine is needed to achieve sustainable peace, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said .

“We all want this war to end. But most of all, we would like to see a lasting peace. I don’t know how and when this war will end. But I know that there will be no peace if Putin gets what he wants in Ukraine. Because then he will continue to press. He threatened to start a war in the past, and he did. Georgia in 2008, Ukraine in 2014 and again in 2022 – what will be the next target?” he said during a speech in the European Parliament.

According to him, peace will neither be stable nor lasting if Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and the Iranian regime feel stronger. He emphasized that an agreement to end the war in Ukraine that would serve their interests would be a path to global instability.

Rutte also noted that peace can only be lasting when Ukraine comes to the negotiating table from a position of strength:

“To do this, it needs our continued help – more weapons and faster – so that it can defend itself better and negotiate a good deal for Ukraine, but also for Europe and for the world.”

At the same time, speaking about the security situation in Europe itself, Rutte noted that it is not in a state of war, but it is not in a state of peace either. Russia is intensifying its destabilization campaign against Western countries:

“What we used to call a hybrid war, I would call a destabilization campaign. And Russia is not alone – China, North Korea and Iran are next to it,” he noted.

The Secretary General added that a third of NATO member states have already reached defense spending of 2% of GDP, but this is not enough to ensure security in the future. He called for increased defense spending and the acceleration of production of critical weapons. This includes ships, aircraft, tanks, drones, ammunition and satellites.

“On average, European countries easily spend up to a quarter of their national income on pensions, health care and social assistance. And we only need a small share of these funds to make defense much stronger,” Rutte stated.

(c)UNIAN 2025