Rutte says Europeans are ready to send troops to Ukraine to deter Russia
Secretary General NATO Mark Rutte said that some European countries have expressed readiness to send their troops to Ukraine if necessary. He said this in an interview with the German media Bild, commenting on the issue of security guarantees after a possible ceasefire.
According to Rutte, the key task of the allies is to ensure that Ukraine never again becomes the target of Russian aggression. He stressed that security should be built on three levels. The first is a strong and capable Armed Forces of Ukraine. The second is the so-called coalition of the willing, which already includes France, the United Kingdom, Germany and other partners. The third level is the participation of the United States.
Rutte noted that various scenarios for the participation of European countries are currently being worked out, including possible formats of presence on land, in the air and at sea. The details are not disclosed publicly, but the very fact of such readiness, he said, should be a clear signal to Vladimir Putin.
The NATO Secretary General also provided estimates of Russia's losses in the war. According to the Alliance, up to 1.1 million Russian troops could have been killed and wounded since the start of the full-scale invasion, while Russia's territorial gains in 2025 amounted to less than 1 per cent of Ukrainian territory. Rutte called this evidence of the failure of the Kremlin's strategy.
He also stressed the importance of increasing defence spending in Europe. According to him, the allies' decision to move towards 5 per cent of GDP for defence allows NATO to maintain an advantage over Russia. He also assured that Donald Trump remains committed to the Alliance and support for Ukraine, and the United States has no plans to withdraw from NATO or reduce its presence in Europe.
