NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on the Alliance's allies to increase aid to Ukraine in order to strengthen its defense capabilities in the fight against Russian aggression. He announced this at a joint press conference with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevičs.
Rutte emphasized that in the matter of possible negotiations with Russia, Kyiv should be in a position of strength to be able to independently decide when and how to start diplomatic efforts to end the war. He noted that precisely for this Ukraine needs constant defense support from NATO and its partners.
Rutte paid special attention to Ukraine's inevitable path to NATO membership. He reminded that 40 billion euros have already been allocated to support the Ukrainian defense forces and a new command is being created in Wiesbaden, which will strengthen the interaction between Ukraine and the Alliance.
According to the Secretary General, such initiatives are aimed at ensuring the long-term security of Ukraine and its neighbors, which will be a significant contribution to European stability.
