Brussels [Belgium], December 24: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is urging continued support for Ukraine as 2025 comes to a close, warning that Europe would face growing security risks if its resolve wavers.
To prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from attempting an attack on a NATO member, Ukraine must remain strong, Rutte said in a recent interview with DPA.
He also stressed the need for NATO members to increase defence spending, in line with commitments agreed at the alliance's summit in The Hague in June.
"If we do those two things, we are strong enough to defend ourselves, and Putin will never try," Rutte said, referring to a potential Russian attack on the alliance. The former Dutch prime minister said rearmament needs to happen quickly. Depending on intelligence assessments, the security situation could otherwise become dangerous as early as 2027, he said.
Rutte pointed to Russia's military spending as evidence of the threat posed by Putin, saying Moscow is now devoting more than 40% of its state budget to defence.
He added that the war in Ukraine had shown Putin's willingness to accept heavy losses, citing estimates that around 1.1 million Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded.
Rutte remained cautious when asked whether US-led efforts to end the war might come to fruition next year.
"I don't want to make predictions," the NATO chief said.
"I can only say that everybody is working extremely hard, the Americans, the Europeans, and of course, Ukraine." He again stressed the importance of Ukraine being given "very strong" security guarantees as part of any peace deal, to prevent Russia from attacking again.
Rutte, who has consistently credited US President Donald Trump with "having broken the deadlock" in the peace negotiations after taking office in January, said he was "not worried" at all that Washington might no longer be a reliable partner under the new administration.
He pointed to the new US National Security Strategy, which was considered by many in Europe as a clear sign of a widening rift, saying that it "clearly states that for the US, a priority is a safe Europe [and] a strong NATO."
Source: Qatar Tribune
