NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Tuesday told reporters that U.S.-led negotiations for a Ukraine ceasefire and lasting peace are “not easy,” and condemned Russia’s “terrible pattern” of targeting Ukrainian civilians.
“These discussions are not easy, not least in the wake of this horrific violence. But we all support President Trump’s push for peace,” Rutte stated during a surprise visit to Odessa, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Rutte’s remarks contrast with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who said a peace deal is “emerging” following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump’s goal of securing a ceasefire has seen little progress. Last month, the Kremlin rejected a joint U.S.-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional pause in hostilities.
Zelensky called again for foreign troops to be prepared to deter future Russian aggression should a peace agreement be reached. “Britain, France and other NATO countries are already actively preparing the ground for a security contingent in Ukraine. It is important that we all be fast enough and efficient in this process,” he said.
The Ukrainian president also pressed Rutte for more air defense support following recent Russian missile strikes. “Absolutely everyone sees how acute Ukraine’s need for air defense systems and missiles is. We talked about this a lot today,” Zelensky said.
