NATO chief: We have to bring Ukraine in the best possible position before talks with Russia
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine has to be in the strongest possible position when it decides to sit down with Russia as this is the global geopolitical context, said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Ramstein meeting.
“And the global context is that we have to bring Ukraine in the best possible position. That one day, when talks would start, at the initiative of Ukraine, on how to solve this conflict, that they are in the best possible position to do that,” Rutte said.
He emphasizes that following the negotiations, it is important to make sure that the agreement reached will be beneficial. After all, in case of no agreement, China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia will watch closely.
“The whole world is watching. So, we have to make sure that Ukraine is in the best possible position. And we should not forget that there is this geopolitical context at stake here,” the NATO Secretary General added.
Ukraine's negotiations with Russia
Ukraine and Russia are not currently engaged in peace talks. However, Western media are increasingly reporting that negotiations may begin as early as 2025.
Such assumptions arise, in part, because of Donald Trump's return to the White House. He claimed that he would like to bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table.
Ukraine emphasizes that it will return to the negotiating table only if it has a stronger position. Ukraine does not reject the path of diplomacy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he would first like to receive guarantees from US President-elect Donald Trump, and then start negotiations with the Russians.
