New NATO Secretary General Rutte promised continued support for Ukraine: main statements.

The new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on his first day in office declared the paramount importance of strengthening support for Ukraine and moving it closer to membership in the Alliance.

During the ceremonial meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Rutte emphasized that without a strong and independent Ukraine, lasting security in Europe is impossible.

Rutte named the implementation of commitments agreed at the NATO summit in Washington, including financial promises and ensuring an irreversible path for Ukraine to membership in the Alliance, as primary tasks. He stressed that NATO is the legitimate place for Ukraine.

Mark Rutte also expressed support for NATO weapon strikes on targets in the Russian Federation, noting that decisions on such actions are made by each NATO country independently. In his speech, the new NATO Secretary General emphasized several key ideas: without the support of the USA, Ukraine would most likely not exist as a state today; the costs of supporting Ukraine are significantly lower compared to the potential consequences of Putin's victory; supporting Ukraine is not only the right decision but also an investment in the security of NATO countries. Rutte emphasized that there can be no stable security in Europe without a strong and independent Ukraine.

Rutte emphasized the need to increase defense spending by NATO member countries, noting that "there are no free alternatives." In addition, he named strengthening partnerships with the European Union and other countries that support the values of the Alliance as a priority.

Previous NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in his farewell interview also emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and warned against supplying Russia. He emphasized that the greatest risk lies in Putin's possible victory, which would demonstrate the effectiveness of the use of military force and threats.