NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte considers a complete victory for either Ukraine or Russia in the war to be unlikely and predicts that it will end through peace agreements. In his view, such conflicts usually end in compromises, but the decision on terms acceptable to Ukraine can only be taken by its leadership.
- Rutte considers it unlikely that either side will achieve a complete victory in the war.
- The NATO Secretary-General predicts that the hostilities will end with a peace agreement involving compromises.
- The terms of any potential agreements must be determined exclusively by the Ukrainian leadership.
- Once the war is over, the Russian army will continue to pose a threat to Europe.
Rutte assessed the likelihood of victory for Ukraine and Russia
During an interview, the NATO Secretary-General was asked whether either side could emerge victorious in the war that Russia launched against Ukraine in February 2022. Rutte He replied that he considered such a scenario unlikely.
«I don’t think that’s very likely. Wars like this always end with a peace agreement, which is often a compromise of sorts,» said the Alliance’s leader.
At the same time, he emphasised that it is up to Ukraine itself to determine the terms of a possible settlement. According to Rutte, only the president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian government can decide which agreements to accept on behalf of the Ukrainian people.
NATO Secretary General He did not name any specific territories that might be the subject of negotiations, nor did he present his own plan for ending the hostilities. His assessment centred on the prospects of a complete military victory and the need for political agreements.
NATO warns of a Russian threat once the war is over
Rutte also warned European countries against scaling back their defence capabilities following a possible end to hostilities in Ukraine. According to him, a significant proportion of the Russian military is currently engaged in the war, which limits Moscow’s ability to pose a direct military threat to other European states.
After end of war The situation may change, as Russia will retain a large army. The Secretary-General emphasised that European NATO members must take this risk into account when planning their own security.
He also emphasised the importance of US military support for Ukraine. According to Rutte, the United States remains the only country capable of providing Kyiv with certain types of critical assistance on the necessary scale.
Ukraine is preparing for a new round of peace talks
Rutte’s comments came on the eve of the events scheduled for 10–11 November talks in Abu Dhabi with the US acting as mediator. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States are expected to discuss possible steps to bring an end to the hostilities.
Among the issues raised by the Ukrainian side during preparations for the meeting were security guarantees, the protection of energy infrastructure, a halt to attacks on civilian targets, and further prisoner exchanges.
The territorial issue remains one of the main points of contention between Kyiv and Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously stated that Ukraine will not agree to cede any of its territories to Russia, and that decisions of this magnitude can only be discussed with the direct involvement of the heads of state.
During the interview, Rutte himself did not specify exactly what compromises might form part of a future peace agreement.
