NATO must focus on military aid for Ukraine, not peace deal, says alliance chief Mark Rutte

Allies are keen to bolster Ukraine's defence and footing in the war before Donald Trump retakes office in the US in just over a month.

Transcript

00:00NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Allies need to focus more on delivering military

00:08aid to Ukraine ahead of a two-day summit in Brussels.

00:11But we will all need to do more, especially now.

00:16The stronger our military support to Ukraine is now, the stronger their hands will be at

00:21the negotiating table.

00:23And the sooner we can end Russian aggression once and for all in Ukraine.

00:28Rutte argued that increased military support should take priority over discussions on a

00:33peace deal.

00:34But I would argue, let's not have all these discussions step by step on what a peace process

00:39might look like.

00:40Make sure that Ukraine has what it needs to get to a position of strength when those peace

00:46talks start, when the Ukrainian government has decided they are ready to do so.

00:50Rutte also announced that NATO will boost intelligence sharing and enhance the protection

00:55of critical infrastructure in the face of Russian acts of sabotage against Allies.

01:01Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also reiterated his call for his country to

01:05become a NATO member as soon as possible.

01:08Rutte said that the process towards full membership is happening step by step.