Yesterday at 20:12
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned U.S. President-elect Donald Trump about a “terrible threat” from China, Iran, and North Korea if Ukraine is pressured into signing a peace agreement on terms favorable to Russia.
Rutte made this statement in an interview with the Financial Times, emphasizing that deepening ties between U.S. adversaries pose significant risks to American security.
He urged Trump to remain committed to NATO and to continue supporting Ukraine, highlighting concerns about Russia supplying missile technology to North Korea and cash to Iran.
“Iran receives money from Russia in exchange for missiles and drone technologies. These funds are used to support Hezbollah, Hamas, and to fuel conflicts beyond the region,” Rutte said.
He also cautioned about the potential actions of China’s leader, Xi Jinping, suggesting that a weak deal for Ukraine could embolden Beijing to consider forceful action against Taiwan.
“We cannot allow a scenario where North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Russian leaders, Xi Jinping, and Iran celebrate a deal unfavorable to Ukraine, as it would pose a long-term security threat not only to Europe but also to the United States,” Rutte stressed.
The NATO chief underscored the need to bolster Ukraine militarily ahead of any potential peace talks.
“The key now is to ensure that when (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy decides to start peace negotiations, he can do so from a position of strength. For me, this is priority number one,” Rutte added.
It is worth noting that Trump and Rutte met on November 22 in Palm Beach to discuss global security issues.
Read also: Scholz promises continued military support for Ukraine, but not Taurus missiles
