NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said during a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, February 3rd that Russia’s latest military actions do not suggest a serious commitment to ongoing peace efforts, as international talks aimed at halting the fighting continue. In an address to the Ukrainian parliament, Rutte declared
Direct talks are now underway and this is important progress…. But Russian attacks like those last night do not signal seriousness about peace.
According to Ukrainian authorities, Russia carried out what Kyiv described as the “most powerful” strikes so far this year on energy infrastructure overnight. Attacks came ahead of a new round of talks scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi.
Rutte said he was urging NATO member states to increase support for Ukraine’s air defence capabilities, calling on allies to draw from existing stockpiles to meet what he described as urgent needs.
The NATO chief also said that European members of the alliance were prepared to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. These measures could include the deployment of forces to help ensure that any agreement reached would be maintained over time.
“The security guarantees are solid, and this is crucial,” Rutte said, adding that any agreement aimed at ending the conflict would involve difficult decisions.
