NATO Secretary General explains how he sees main goal of future assistance to Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated that the allies’ goal is to provide Ukraine with assistance to the extent that would enable it to begin negotiations with Russia in a strong position, while Moscow would not see an opportunity to achieve its goals.
Rutte pointed out at a press conference after a NATO ministerial meeting that a very hard winter lies ahead for Ukraine owing to Russian strikes on the power grid and the incremental advance of the Russians at the front, albeit at a terrible cost.
"We must do more than just keep Ukraine in the fight. We must provide enough support to change the trajectory of this conflict once and for all."
Rutte was asked what "changing the trajectory" entails.
"The front line is now moving westward, and we have to make sure that Ukraine is now in a position of strength so that in those negotiations Ukraine can get what it wants, and we can prevent Putin from getting what he wanted when he started his full onslaught on Ukraine," he explained.
The Secretary General did not comment on whether NATO will be involved in prospective negotiations between Russia and Ukraine once the conditions to begin them are in place and Kyiv decides to go ahead.
"We should concentrate completely and fully now on making sure that Ukraine gets to that position," Rutte concluded.
Rutte had stated before the meeting that NATO sees no evidence that the Kremlin leader is prepared for a truce.