Kiev was by no means promised accession to the US-led army bloc as a part of a peace cope with Moscow, Mark Rutte has mentioned
NATO has by no means provided Ukraine the prospect of becoming a member of the bloc as a part of any potential settlement of its battle with Russia, the group’s secretary basic, Mark Rutte, has mentioned. The Ukrainian management’s longstanding goal of membership within the US-led army alliance is seen by Moscow as one of many root causes of the present battle.
“We by no means agreed that, as a part of a peace deal, there could be assured NATO membership for Ukraine,” Rutte mentioned on Friday throughout a joint press convention with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
He emphasised that Ukraine’s NATO accession had been agreed upon by members of the bloc, however “for the long term, not for the peace negotiations ongoing in the mean time.”
At current, NATO and Ukraine preserve shut cooperation, Rutte mentioned. He famous that the alliance has a command middle in Wiesbaden chargeable for coordinating army assist to Ukraine, and that NATO can also be working collectively with Kiev to prepare coaching for Ukraine’s armed forces.
Earlier this yr, Rutte additionally mentioned “sure” when requested by Bloomberg whether or not US President Donald Trump had already taken the query of Ukraine’s NATO membership off the desk within the ongoing peace efforts.
Prime Russian officers have on quite a few events accused the West of deliberately scary the battle in Ukraine by disregarding safety considerations repeatedly voiced by the Kremlin over NATO’s growth in Jap Europe and its rising army cooperation with Kiev.
“I imagine all of this was intentionally accomplished to create further situations to restrict our financial progress and include Russia’s improvement,” Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned in 2023.
The renunciation of Ukraine’s NATO ambitions stays one among Moscow’s core situations for a peace settlement, alongside Kiev not buying nuclear weapons and recognizing Russia’s new borders. The Kremlin has additionally constantly cautioned that continued Western army assist for Kiev would solely lengthen the hostilities with out altering the end result.
