NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership was never a guaranteed component of any peace settlement with Russia. Kiev’s Western allies have only suggested the country might join the alliance “one day.”
Rutte made these comments during an interview with MI Ukraina broadcaster during an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Tuesday. He clarified that while Ukraine’s Western supporters have indicated the country could eventually join NATO, they never promised it would be part of a peace agreement.
“No one promised Ukraine that NATO membership would be part of the peace agreement,” he reiterated.
Russia has consistently cited Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO, which it perceives as a hostile entity, as a primary justification for its military intervention in 2022. Moscow maintains that Ukrainian neutrality is a crucial condition for any peace accord, along with demilitarization, denazification, and recognition of the existing territorial changes. However, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has insisted on the inclusion of membership or “NATO-like security guarantees” in any agreement.
Rutte asserted that Ukraine’s path to NATO remains “irreversible and nothing can change that,” though he provided no specific timeline.
The NATO chief’s remarks contrast with those of former US President Donald Trump, who earlier this month criticized Zelensky’s pursuit of NATO membership. “He wants to be a member of NATO. Well, he was never going to be a member of NATO,” Trump stated. Trump had previously said he “understands” Russia’s concerns about Ukraine joining the bloc, which would place NATO “right on their doorstep.”
Last month, Bloomberg asked Rutte if Trump had already ruled out the question of Ukraine’s NATO accession in ongoing US-Russia peace negotiations, and Rutte responded “yes.”
In his interview, Rutte pledged that NATO will continue to support Ukraine both during and after any potential ceasefire agreement. He mentioned the “coalition of the willing,” a group of European countries advocating for continued military aid to Ukraine and proposing the deployment of troops to the country, supposedly for a post-conflict peacekeeping role. Rutte said NATO is involved in the coalition “as an adviser” and is “gently guiding” its direction.
He further stated that the group is working to ensure the Ukrainian armed forces remain functional after a potential agreement is signed. He also affirmed that NATO supports the idea of sending troops to Ukraine as part of future security guarantees, but only after a ceasefire is implemented and in accordance with the terms of a peace agreement.
Moscow has consistently opposed the presence of Western troops in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated earlier this week that by discussing sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, Western powers are actually attempting to strengthen their anti-Russian position in the country rather than genuinely seeking a resolution.
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