Mark Rutte, NATO’s Secretary-General, has warned US President-elect Donald Trump that forcing Ukraine into a weak peace agreement with Russia could create a “dire threat” from global adversaries like China, Iran, and North Korea, The Telegraph reported.
Rutte, speaking to The Financial Times, emphasized that a peace deal that fails to adequately support Ukraine would have serious implications not just for Europe, but for global security as well. He argued that such a deal would embolden authoritarian regimes, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and Iranian authorities. Rutte pointed out that these countries have been cooperating closely, especially in military and economic areas, and that a weak peace agreement would offer them an opportunity to capitalize on the situation.
“We cannot have a situation where we have Kim Jong-un and the Russian leader and Xi Jinping and Iran high-fiving because we came to a deal which is not good for Ukraine,” Rutte said.
He continued, stating that such a scenario would lead to an increased security threat to both Europe and the United States. Rutte’s remarks followed a meeting on 23 November between Trump and his foreign policy team, during which these concerns were discussed.
Ukraine won’t accept anything less than NATO membership after failed Budapest Memorandum, Kyiv says
On 2 December, UK PM Starmer acknowledged for the first time that the Russo-Ukrainian war would likely end in a negotiated settlement, hours after US President Joe Biden authorized a new military aid package for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Trump’s aides maintain that the conflict is primarily a European issue and advocate a focus on China and Iran for US foreign policy.
Related:
- Ukraine won’t accept anything less than NATO membership after failed Budapest Memorandum
- Zelenskyy insists Ukraine seeks full NATO membership, including occupied territories
- Ukrainian intel: Russia used around 60 North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine
- Ukraine’s NATO entry without Russian-occupied regions could end “hot phase” of the war, says Zelenskyy
- UK troops may aid Ukraine border defense under potential ceasefire, Boris Johnson says
- US Republicans show lowest concern about Russia-Ukraine war threat
