Rutte On Ukraine's Successes: Even Trump Acknowledged It

• 1.07.2026, 15:50

The NATO Secretary General stated that Putin is refusing to negotiate.

Right now, Ukraine feels much better on the battlefield and is achieving great success, while the Russians are losing 35,000 troops every month. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in an interview Financial Times.

“The progress Russia was making four or five months ago has now slowed significantly. Ukraine is in a much, much better position. The U.S. president also acknowledged this last week at the White House,” he said.

Rutte noted that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is “not inspired” by the Russian military’s losses and Ukraine’s successes on the battlefield. He emphasized that there are currently no signs that the Russian leader wants to sit down at the negotiating table.

According to the NATO Secretary General, the West should provide more support to Ukraine and ensure that it is as strong as possible by the time negotiations begin.

“But it is up to Putin to decide whether he wants to come or not,” Rutte added.

The NATO Secretary General also stated that Russia currently poses the greatest threat to the Alliance. He noted that Moscow continues to cooperate closely with China, Iran, and North Korea.