Rutte on Kellogg’s 180-day war deadline for Ukraine: 'I can’t guarantee it'
Photo: Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General (Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in a comment to RBC-Ukraine said that ending Russia’s war in Ukraine within 180 days is an ambitious plan. However, he cannot guarantee it.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte responded to a question from an RBC-Ukraine journalist regarding the statement by US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg about ending the war within 180 days.
"All of us want this to end as soon as possible. I cannot guarantee that it's in 180 days, it would be great, but I cannot guarantee that," the Secretary General said.
He noted that everyone is currently working diligently and very hard to end this war in a way that ensures Russian President Vladimir Putin never attempts to seize another square meter of Ukraine.
"And that will be a crucial part that the Americans are really stressing this, and the Europeans are really stressing this, and Ukraine is really stressing this. I spoke with President Zelenskyy yesterday and other Ukrainian leaders. This is crucial. But I cannot guarantee whether it will be in 180 days, but obviously it is good to have an ambitious timetable there. I think that's positive," he concluded.
At the same time, regarding the second question about the possibility of a ceasefire before concluding serious agreements, Rutte noted that peace negotiations have not even begun yet, making it impossible to predict their development.
"The peace talks have not even started. And the problem is that if I'm going to tell you now what might, I don't even know exactly how they will develop. And we certainly do not know exactly how they will end. So let me not diverge too much on what is on my mind and what could be the next steps," he explained.
Rutte noted that this will also largely depend on the decisions made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his team.
"They will be at the table, no doubt because this is about their country," he said.
Earlier, US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg spoke at the Ukrainian Lunch during the 2025 Munich Security Conference. He publicly committed to engaging all parties to end the war in Ukraine within 180 days.
RBC-Ukraine has gathered all the details of the second day of the Munich Conference.
