Putin will not intimidate NATO with his threats, support for Ukraine will continue: Rutte
NATO will not be affected by Russia’s strategy of intimidation, and the Alliance will continue to provide strong support to Ukraine. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a speech at the US military base Clay, where the headquarters of the new mission called “NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine” (NSATU) is located. informs Reuters.
“The message (to Russian President Vladimir Putin, – ed) is that we will continue, we will do everything necessary to ensure that he does not get his way, that Ukraine wins.”, – said Rutte.
The NSATU mission will gradually take over the coordination of Western military aid to Kyiv. The move is seen as a hedge against possible changes in US foreign policy in the event of the return of Donald Trump, who is critical of NATO. However, some diplomats note that this measure may have limited impact, as the US provides the bulk of military aid to Ukraine and is a key player in NATO.
NSATU will include about 700 servicemen who will work at the NATO SHAPE headquarters in Belgium, as well as in logistics centers in Poland and Romania.
In addition, the base in Wiesbaden houses the American unit responsible for long-range missiles, which the US plans to temporarily deploy in Germany from 2026. During his first visit to Germany as NATO Secretary General, Rutte supported this decision, despite criticism and threats from Russia.
“We are NATO. We are a defensive alliance, we are not offensive. We are not interested in taking over any part of any other country outside NATO territory. As a democratic alliance, the strongest alliance in world history, serving 1 billion people, we ready to face any threat. We will never be intimidated by our opponents.”, – concluded Rütte.
