NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks to the media after a meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing” in London, United Kingdom / October 24, 2025 © EPA/TOLGA AKMEN ader_text”>He is convinced that the time has come to increase pressure on Russia.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Russian forces were demonstrating limited headway on the combat zone, and that any minor advancements achieved came at the expense of substantial casualties. He mentioned that the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is exhausting his resources as his funds, troops, and strategic concepts to prolong the conflict dwindle.
He voiced this perspective during a press briefing held following a gathering of the “Coalition of the Willing” in London.
Rutte further stated that recent American penalties targeted at Russia's major petroleum companies would drain Moscow of crucial earnings and amplify strain on the Kremlin, pushing it towards seeking avenues for dialogue. The NATO Secretary General emphasized that US President Donald Trump remains “wholly devoted” to concluding the hostilities and instituting an enduring settlement in Ukraine.
Rutte pointed out that, in spite of the complex circumstances, the Ukrainian armed forces are displaying exceptional fortitude, and foreign aid is generating visible outcomes.
“Putin is demonstrating minimal advancement on the battlefield, and where there is a slight gain, it occurs at a tremendous price, thus the reality is that Putin is depleting his reserves of capital, soldiers, and strategic thinking.
Hundreds of thousands of Russian individuals are perishing due to Putin’s acts of aggression. Ukraine is tenaciously resisting, and our backing is proving advantageous.
“President Trump expressed it quite precisely: they should halt at their present positions,” Rutte remarked.
He also lauded the endeavor by Europe and Canada to supply additional military support to Kyiv.
“Occurrences on the war zone indicate that our assistance to Ukraine is yielding positive results, and we must perpetuate it. We ought to combine its assistance with sanctions and economic strain, and the 19th EU sanctions package directed at Russia constitutes another valuable measure in this course on both sides of the Atlantic,” Rutte conveyed.
In his appraisal, owing to recent deliberations in Washington, the European Council, and London, the allied entities are advancing positively towards a consensus on “a fair and long-lasting settlement for Ukraine.”
It is worth noting that, as per La Stampa, Trump and Rutte are exerting influence on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Maloni for Rome to participate in the acquisition of armaments for Ukraine.
