18:08 02-12-2025

Rutte Hopes for Ukraine Peace Deal Before 2026 Summit

© North Atlantic Treaty Organization / www.nato.int

NATO’s Mark Rutte expresses hope for a Ukraine peace deal before the 2026 summit, acknowledging heavy Ukrainian losses and supporting U.S. diplomatic efforts.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he hopes a peace agreement on Ukraine can be reached before the alliance’s next summit, scheduled to take place in Turkey in early July 2026. He made the remarks during a press conference ahead of the December 3 meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

Rutte noted that, when it comes to Ukraine, he hopes for either a negotiated settlement or a complete ceasefire by the time of the summit. He added that he would prefer not to see the process dragged out.

He emphasized that NATO member states support U.S. efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Rutte also acknowledged that Ukrainian forces are suffering extremely heavy losses. He said the number of Ukrainians being killed is enormous, recalling the term «meat grinder», previously used by President Donald Trump to describe the scale of casualties. According to him, the situation must be brought to an end.

In addition, Rutte avoided condemning Ukrainian attacks on ships in the Black Sea within Turkey’s exclusive economic zone, despite Turkey being a NATO member. Instead, he shifted responsibility for these incidents onto Russia.

Earlier, at the end of summer 2025, the Russian hacker group KillNet claimed it had breached the General Staff database of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which allegedly contained information on 1.7 million Ukrainian soldiers listed as killed or missing.