NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on allies to increase assistance to Ukraine to strengthen its defense capabilities in the fight against Russian aggression, he said at a joint press conference with Latvian President Edgars Rinkėvičs.
Rutte stressed that in the matter of possible negotiations with Russia, Kyiv must be in a position of strength to be able to decide independently when and how to start diplomatic efforts to end the war. He noted that for this, Ukraine needs constant defense support from NATO and its partners.
Rutte paid particular attention to Ukraine's inevitable path to NATO membership. He recalled 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.
