NATO chief urges continued support for Ukraine in war against Russia

BERLIN

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday called for continued support for Ukraine in its war against neighboring Russia, according to press reports.

“We must do everything we can to ensure that Ukraine gets what it needs in terms of training and equipment to continue the fight and survive,” said Rutte on the sidelines of the Ukraine Contact Group meeting at the US air force base in Ramstein.

It is crucial to put Ukraine in the best possible position so that it can at some point begin negotiations to resolve the conflict on its own initiative, he added.

If such negotiations do not result in a good agreement, this will also be noticed in China, North Korea and Iran, Rutte warned, alluding to the fact that these countries could feel emboldened by Russia's success in Ukraine.

The war is not just about Ukraine, but also about the geopolitical context, Rutte said.

The NATO Defense Contact Group meeting is taking place amid the difficult military situation for the Ukrainian armed forces in the east of the country and the scenario that US President-elect Donald Trump could try to pressure Kyiv and Moscow into negotiations. Trump recently said he hoped the war would end “long before six months are over.”