Mark Rutte acknowledged Ukraine's right to decide on territorial issues independently
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated during the presentation of the annual report in Brussels that any decisions regarding Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be made exclusively by the official government in Kyiv.
The head of the Alliance emphasized Ukraine’s sovereignty in the process of shaping future security agreements.
The Secretary General’s statement came in response to journalists’ questions regarding potential pressure from international partners.
Specifically, the discussion centered on the conditions under which Ukraine would allegedly have to relinquish the occupied Donbas in exchange for security guarantees from the United States.
“As for the territory, any decisions regarding the territory must obviously be made by Ukraine,” Mark Rutte emphasized.
He added that the international community has no right to impose peace terms that contradict the interests of a sovereign state.
Nevertheless, Rutte noted that territorial issues are only part of the overall architecture of a future peace.
For a sustainable outcome, Ukraine must be provided with mechanisms that prevent a recurrence of Russian aggression after the end of hostilities.
The Secretary-General emphasized the importance of the agreements reached in Paris in January 2026.
At that time, the United States, together with a group of partners known as the “Coalition of the Resolute,” agreed on a specific list of commitments to Ukraine.
“For Ukraine to be not only sovereign but also secure, security guarantees are key… That is why it was so important that in Paris in January, the United States and the ‘Coalition of the Resolute’ agreed on security guarantees,” the NATO Secretary General noted.
As a reminder, Rutte assured that the U.S. would not redirect weapons intended for Ukraine to the Middle East.
NATO also recognizes Russia as the main threat to Europe.
