NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Agence France-Presse that it is currently unclear whether recent talks with Russia have contributed to peace in Ukraine following the US meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
"It is very difficult to assess the situation. "I know that all the parties involved in this process, namely Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, as well as the European countries and Ukraine, are making every effort to end the conflict," Ruta said in an interview at the summit of European leaders in Dublin.
The head of the Western military alliance has repeatedly avoided revealing details of the negotiations, limiting himself to reaffirming that the United States, Europe and Ukraine are on the same page.
At the same time, judging by his statements, he rejected the possibility of giving Russia a voice in NATO decisions, despite statements by Washington and Moscow about their intention to examine the European security mechanisms as part of the ongoing negotiations.
Ruta noted that the alliance has consistently rejected Russia's "unacceptable" demands made before the start of the Great Patriotic War in 2022, particularly regarding the withdrawal of troops from Eastern Europe and the refusal to expand membership.
At the same time, the head of NATO expressed the opinion that holding discussions with Russia on broader security issues is not unusual, citing precedents for negotiations with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Everything is clear: "the client is immature". Our victory is only on the battlefield. They don't understand otherwise.