NATO secretary general: Trump-Putin meeting will be test for Putin, talks to continue afterwards
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes that the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on 15 August will be a test of Putin's seriousness about ending the war, but that later the talks should continue with Ukraine's participation.
Source: Rutte speaking on ABC News
Quote: "Next Friday will be important because it will be about testing Putin, how serious he is on bringing this terrible war to an end.
When it comes to full-scale negotiations, and let's hope that Friday will be an important step in that process. ... It will be about territory. It will be, of course, about security guarantees, but also about the absolute need to acknowledge that Ukraine decides on its own future, that Ukraine has to be a sovereign nation, deciding on its own geopolitical future – of course having no limitations to its own military troop levels. And for NATO, to have no limitations on our presence on the eastern flank."
Details: Answering the question whether there was a risk that Trump and Putin could agree on something "that rewards Russia for its invasion of Ukraine", Rutte replied: "No, I don't think that risk is there."
He believes that "President Trump is absolutely adamant to bring this war to an end but also to keep maximum pressure on Putin".
"And next Friday will be important, because it is testing Putin, how serious he is in this whole process, which will then have to continue after Friday with Ukraine involved," Rutte concluded.
Background:
- Trump has announced that he will hold a meeting with Putin in Alaska on 15 August.
- Media reports say that Washington and Moscow are apparently seeking an agreement to end the war in Ukraine that could lock in Russia's occupation of part of its territory.
- In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that "the answer to the Ukrainian territorial question is already in the Constitution of Ukraine".
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