NATO secretary general supports Trump's plan to stop war in Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said he fully supports the American leader's initiative to end the war in Ukraine after a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Source: Rutte after the meeting
Quote: "Today, we particularly focus on, how can we end the war? What can I do? What can NATO do to support President Trump's vision of ending this war, ending the killing in Ukraine, including what he can do to make sure that Putin accepts the president's [Trump's] view that the two parties should stop where they are? As he said on Friday and on Sunday, I totally support him, and we will see how we can do that."
Details: Rutte confirmed that Washington is ready to join a system of security guarantees for Ukraine, being developed together by the US, Canada, Japan, Australia and European partners.
Quote: "That is what the president said from day one when he came into office. 'I want the killing to stop.' And I'm here to tell him, yes, we are up there. We want to support you. We want to make this happen."
Details: Rutte also highlighted the catastrophic losses suffered by Russian forces, calling the situation unsustainable.
Quote: "Because we know that last month again, for example, the Russians lost over 20,000 people dead, not seriously wounded, dead. They lost 1 million, the Russians, dead and seriously wounded since the [full-scale] war started. They lose now more in one month than they lost in 10 years in the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s under Brezhnev and his successors. So, that is not sustainable."
Details: Rutte stressed that Western sanctions and economic pressure are already having a tangible effect on Russia.
Quote: "We have these long lines into gasoline stations all over Russia at the moment. We know that the French president and others in Europe stepped up when it comes to the shadow fleet. And of course, we have seen the pressure by the American president on some European countries to stop buying oil. So all of this is having an impact."
Details: Rutte expressed confidence that sustained international pressure could force the Kremlin to agree to a ceasefire and enter talks.
Quote: "So I'm absolutely convinced that with sustained pressure we will be able to get Putin to the table to agree with a ceasefire and then other talks coming after that."
Background:
- Earlier this week, Trump cancelled a planned meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest, saying that "it just didn't feel right".
- On 22 October, for the first time under Trump's second administration, the United States imposed new large-scale sanctions against Russia, including oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft and their subsidiaries. urging Moscow to immediately agree to a ceasefire.
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