It is unlikely that the war between Russia and Ukraine will end with a winner, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on the Dutch television programme “Pauw & De Wit”. His words were quoted by Bloomberg.
Rutte was asked whether either side would win the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“I do not think that is very likely. Such wars always end with a peace agreement, which often represents a kind of compromise,” Rutte said.In his remarks, he emphasised a diplomatic outcome to the conflict, without specifying any conditions for a potential agreement or claiming that an arrangement between Moscow and Kyiv was imminent. Rutte also did not define what the possible compromise might look like.
Warning to Europe
The NATO Secretary General stressed that even after the war ends, Europe must remain vigilant against possible Russian aggression. In this way, he distinguished a possible cessation of hostilities from the long-term security issues facing the European continent.
Rutte has previously linked a future peace agreement to the need for credible security guarantees for Ukraine. In a statement to the European Parliament in January, he said it would be important for Kyiv to be confident that Russia would not attempt another attack. According to him, the territorial issue remains sensitive, and the decision on it rests with the Ukrainian government.
Sources: bloomberg.com, bnnvara.nl, nieuws.nl