Rutte hopes for swift clarification of EU guarantees for Kiev

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expects clarification soon on European security guarantees for Ukraine.

On Thursday, a summit meeting of European countries supporting Ukraine will take place to discuss what guarantees Kiev could receive after a possible end to the war with Russia.

The aim is to deter Russia from further attacks.

At a press conference in Brussels, Rutte said he hoped for a “clear agreement tomorrow or shortly thereafter.”

Following the summit, there will also be intensive dialogue with the US about its contribution to these security guarantees.

According to Rutte, continued military support for the Ukrainian armed forces remains central.

At the same time, he assured Eastern European NATO members that these guarantees would not come at the expense of defense on the alliance's eastern flank.

He warned against overstretching available resources and stressed that all spending must be carefully reviewed in light of NATO defense planning.

The summit is being organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of the “coalition of the willing.”

(reuters, sie)