NATO: European Security Guarantees for Ukraine Need U.S. Support
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated on Thursday that any security guarantees provided by Europe to Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement with Russia must be backed by U.S. support.
“Strong security guarantees, if provided by European countries, need U.S. support—not through troops on the ground, but in general, we need U.S. backing to ensure deterrence,” Rutte said during a visit to Slovakia, according to Agence France-Presse.
Last week, Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine, a move that shocked Europe and alarmed Kyiv.
Over the past two days, Trump claimed that Ukraine “should never have started the war” launched by Russia in 2022. He also described Zelensky as a “dictator who came to power without elections” and shared fabricated claims about the Ukrainian leader’s approval ratings.
Zelensky responded by saying that Trump is trapped in a “bubble of Russian disinformation,” but later emphasized that he still relies on Washington to help resolve the crisis.
White House National Security Advisor Mike Walts told Fox News on Thursday: “They [Ukraine] need to lower the tensions, take a closer look, and sign that deal,” referring to the crucial minerals agreement with Washington.
