NATO says 'very sensitive' talks underway on possible territorial concessions in Ukraine
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said territorial negotiations within the Ukraine peace process are complex and very sensitive, according to a publication by The Guardian.
According to Rutte, any decision on possible compromises can be made exclusively by Ukraine. He also recalled statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that US security guarantees are at a stage "close to being agreed upon."
Ukraine's NATO membership
Rutte noted that Ukraine remains interested in joining NATO, but a number of Alliance member states oppose this step. For this reason, he stressed, the issue is currently "politically, it’s practically not on the cards."
He also dismissed claims that the US had allegedly used promises of security guarantees to Ukraine in talks with NATO over Greenland.
Alternative to NATO and Europe's position
Speaking about a possible European security system without US participation, Rutte warned that such a scenario would be extremely difficult and rejected the idea outright, saying:
"Putin would love it."
Harshest winter and support for Ukraine
The NATO chief warned that Ukraine was facing its harshest winter in more than a decade and urged European lawmakers to show flexibility in the use of EU funds, stressing that the situation had been worsening due to Russian attacks on critical infrastructure in Kyiv and other cities.
Rutte also said that US-led peace talks were ongoing and should lead to either a peace agreement or a long-term ceasefire, adding that he hoped this would happen as soon as possible and that it was essential to ensure that Putin would never attack Ukraine again.
Financial and military assistance
Rutte said that NATO continued to support Ukraine, including by supplying billions of dollars’ worth of US military equipment through the PURL mechanism and national initiatives. He urged the EU not to restrict the use of a 90 billion euro loan with "buy EU" conditions, stressing that lawmakers should focus first and foremost on Ukraine’s needs. He concluded by emphasizing that Ukraine’s security was directly linked to NATO’s security.
He also recalled that talks in Abu Dhabi had received a positive assessment from the US side, with the meeting between the US, Ukraine, and Russia described as constructive and the dialogue format seen as a step toward further advancing the peace process.
According to Rutte, the Ukrainian delegation likewise characterized the talks in the United Arab Emirates with representatives of the US and Russia as substantive, noting that a wide range of military and political issues directly related to the possibility of ending hostilities had been discussed.
