Rutte warns Europe: without support for Ukraine until the end of 2025, the threat will increase.

According to ТСН: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged allies not to reduce support for Ukraine until the end of 2025, warning of a possible serious deterioration of the security situation in Europe.

In an interview with dpa, he emphasized that maintaining a strong Ukraine is a key factor in deterring potential Russian attacks on NATO countries.

Military support and defense expenditures

Rutte noted that only a combination of military support for Ukraine and increased defense spending by Alliance countries can guarantee Europe's security.

“If we do these two things, we will be strong enough, and Putin will never dare to attack,”

The NATO Secretary General also stressed the need for allies to quickly rearm. Intelligence estimates suggest that the security situation could significantly worsen by 2027. Rutte cited Russia's militarization, noting that Moscow spends over 40% of its budget on defense.

Russian army casualties and peace initiatives

Focusing on casualties, Rutte mentioned that about 1.1 million Russian military personnel have been killed or wounded, indicating the Kremlin's willingness to pay a high price for continuing its aggression.

When it came to peace initiatives involving the United States, he refrained from making predictions, stating:

“I don’t want to make predictions. I can only say that everyone is working incredibly hard — the Americans, the Europeans, and of course, Ukraine,”

At the same time, he emphasized that any peace agreement must include 'very reliable' security guarantees for Ukraine to avoid further aggression from Russia.

Reliability of the US and defense spending

Rutte expressed confidence in the reliability of the US as an ally, despite political changes in Washington, and emphasized that America's new national security strategy prioritizes a secure Europe and a strong NATO.

The Secretary General also expressed optimism about the increase in defense spending by Alliance countries following the summit in The Hague, where they agreed to raise the minimum level of defense funding to 3.5% of GDP, with another 1.5% for related defense projects.

He highlighted Germany's efforts, which plans to increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029, ahead of the overall 2035 deadline.

“You are showing leadership — and this is important for the entire Alliance,”

Rutte also confirmed European countries' readiness to send troops to Ukraine, but did not name specific states that could do so.

This statement underscores NATO's serious approach to ensuring security in Europe against the backdrop of increasing threats. By maintaining support for Ukraine unchanged, NATO seeks to prevent further escalation of the conflict and support stability in the region. Cooperation among allies will be key to strengthening defense capabilities and readiness for any challenges.