In an interview with Germany's Bild newspaper, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that only U.S. President Donald Trump could force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. According to him, Trump has seriously focused on ending the war in Ukraine.
While noting that peace agreements always require compromises, Rutte did not express a clear opinion on which side should make what concessions. At the same time, he said that fears that the U.S. would abandon its support for Ukraine if Trump became president were unfounded, and that Washington would remain loyal to NATO.
According to the NATO Secretary General, the reason it is difficult to stop the war is that Putin is prepared to continue the battles despite heavy losses. According to NATO estimates, although Russia has captured less than 1 percent of Ukrainian territory, it has suffered up to 1.1 million military casualties (killed or wounded) in return.
Rutte stated that strong Western security guarantees for Ukraine are of decisive importance and listed three factors deterring Putin from a new offensive: the Ukrainian army in a state of readiness, the "coalition of the willing" led by France and Great Britain, and the direct involvement of the U.S. In his opinion, this mechanism fundamentally differs from the previous "Minsk" agreements and provides much stronger guarantees.
