Rutte urges Ukraine to postpone 'any peace talks' until more weapons are provided
Before Ukraine engages in potential peace talks with Russia, Western allies must first provide sufficient military aid to improve Kyiv’s negotiating position, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Dec. 3.
While reiterating that Ukraine alone should decide when it is ready to initiate talks with Russia, Rutte called on NATO members to increase supplies of weapons, ammunition, and air defense systems before transitioning toward drafting a ceasefire deal.
“Let’s not have all these discussions, step by step, on what a peace process might look like,” The New York Times quoted the official.
“Make sure that Ukraine has what it needs to get to a position of strength when those peace talks start. So I would say more military aid, and less discussions on what the peace process could look like.”
In recent days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have articulated a shift in Kyiv’s approach to ending the war through negotiations. The president suggested that Ukraine could accept a temporary loss of some of its territory if it comes with NATO membership. To avoid immediately triggering an armed conflict with Russia when Ukraine becomes a member of the alliance, the Article 5 clause could be tailored to apply only to Ukrainian regions under government control.
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