He stressed that “first, we must maintain pressure on Russia
to ensure they do what’s necessary [to end the war], and that’s why sanctions
were introduced.”
“And let’s not be naive about Russia,” the NATO chief added.
“But in the long run, Russia will still exist […]. And I
think that if the war were to end, it would be reasonable for the United States
and Europe to gradually restore normal relations with Russia. However, we are
absolutely not at that stage yet,” Rutte emphasized.
He added, “We are far from reaching that point” and called
for continued pressure on Russia to ensure the Kremlin takes negotiations
seriously.
“We must keep up the pressure to make sure they are ready to
engage seriously in talks with the U.S. administration and, of course, with the
Ukrainians,” Rutte said regarding the ongoing negotiations.
U.S. ceasefire initiative in Ukraine
A 30-day ceasefire initiative was proposed by U.S. representatives
during talks with Ukraine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11. President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine is willing to agree to a temporary
truce if Russia consents. The United States will convey
the proposal to the Russian side “through multiple channels,” said
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
A plane carrying Trump’s special envoy for Middle Eastern
affairs, Steve
Witkoff, has already landed in Moscow. The White House said Witkoff plans
to meet with dictator Putin to discuss the ceasefire in Ukraine.
On March 13, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria
Zakharova said the Kremlin is willing to discuss the U.S. and Ukraine’s
ceasefire initiatives. According to her, contacts with the American side “could
take place as early as today.”
Also on March 13, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said the proposed
U.S.-Ukraine ceasefire is “nothing more than a respite for Ukrainian
troops” and claimed that steps resembling peace efforts are not what Russia
needs.
According to Ushakov, Russian authorities allegedly “seek a
long-term peaceful settlement” that must account for the “interests and
concerns” of the aggressor state.
He added that Vladimir Putin could provide “more specific
and meaningful assessments” regarding the proposed temporary ceasefire in
Ukraine on March 13.
Meanwhile, Andrii Kovalenko, head of the National Security
and Defense Council’s Center for Countering Disinformation, emphasized that Ushakov’s
remarks are not yet an official Russian rejection, as decisions there are made
by Putin.