NATO’s Secretary-General Mark Rutte gave a stark warning after the Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff held a five-hour-long meeting in Moscow to discuss the Ukraine peace deal. Although Rutte maintained that the peace process is progressing, he cautioned that if negotiations stagnate, Moscow will come under constant pressure. He stated that Russia must be made to recognize two realities: 1. Western weapons will continue to enter Ukraine, with the US providing essential systems financed by allies in Canada and Europe. 2. As Washington and Europe work together to guarantee "maximum impact" on the Russian economy, economic sanctions will continue to intensify. To learn more, watch this video.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Good afternoon everyone and thanks for joining us.
00:08We will start with a short statement from the Secretary-General and follow that with
00:12your questions.
00:13Yes, good afternoon.
00:15And we have just concluded our meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers halfway between the
00:20summit in The Hague and the next one in Ankara.
00:24We face real and lasting dangers.
00:28Russia continues its brutal war against Ukraine, increasingly targeting its people and critical
00:34infrastructure as winter sets in.
00:38Russia is also demonstrating increasingly reckless behaviour when it comes to NATO, such
00:43as violating our airspace, conducting cyberattacks and deploying spy ships to map allies' on
00:50the sea infrastructure.
00:52These incidents underscore the need for unwavering vigilance.
00:57We must continue to respond with strength, unity and resolve.
01:03A key focus today was defence investment.
01:05European allies and Canada are stepping up significantly.
01:09A welcome development that demonstrates our shared commitment.
01:14But we must do more.
01:16And all allies need to pull their way to ensure that we are prepared and that the responsibility
01:23is fairly shared.
01:24Ministers discuss the planning on their way to chart a credible path towards the commitment
01:30made in The Hague investing 5% of GDP annually in defence.
01:37This will ensure we can develop and procure the core capabilities essential for our collective defence,
01:43including advanced systems for air defence.
01:45We reaffirmed that support Ukraine counts towards this 5% target as it directly contributes
01:53to our own security.
01:54The allies shared updates on their national plans, highlighting how increased spending is
02:00translating into tangible enhancements, such as bolstering forces on the eastern flank and
02:05modernising equipment.
02:08This is not just about numbers.
02:09It is about building a stronger, more adaptable alliance capable of deterring any aggression and
02:16defending every inch of allied territory.
02:20As we implement these measures, we are also addressing hybrid threats, whether sabotage,
02:25cyberattacks or other efforts to destabilise our societies.
02:30Turning to Ukraine, we all want the bloodshed to end.
02:34And I strongly welcome President Trump's continued efforts to bring about a just and lasting peace.
02:40This is vital for resolving this conflict and we support the United States in leading this
02:45effort.
02:46And as negotiations proceed, we cannot waver in our commitment to Ukraine.
02:52Every single day, Russian missiles and drones cause death and destruction, leaving civilians
02:57without heat, light and water as winter approaches.
03:03Ukraine's security is closely linked to our own.
03:06Our support must continue unabated to help Ukraine defend itself today and deter tomorrow, for their
03:13own sake and for ours.
03:17During today's NATO-Ukraine Council, Foreign Minister Sibiya briefed us on the latest developments,
03:22Ukraine's urgent requirements and progress on the path to a durable peace.
03:27EU High Representative Kallis joined us on the scoring the closed cooperation between NATO
03:32and the EU in bolstering Ukrainians' resilience.
03:36Our support is making a real difference on the ground.
03:40Through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirement List, PERL, funded by allies, we are delivering
03:46essential lethal and non-lethal U.S. capabilities, including desperately needed air defense, to help
03:53Ukraine hold the front line and protect its people.
03:57And today, we heard from allies who are committing more resources to support Ukraine through PERL,
04:04including Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Poland.
04:07Now, over two-thirds of allies have committed to the program.
04:12And though not here for our meeting today, we heard from Australia and New Zealand who will
04:17also contribute to PERL, the first NATO partners to do so.
04:22And this means that allies and partners have already committed now really over $4 billion
04:27to PERL, getting us on the track to the $5 billion for the full year.
04:32And this flow of aid is crucial.
04:35And I urge again all to accelerate their pledges, not just for this winter, but planning ahead
04:40also for 2026.
04:43Ukraine continues to show incredible resilience.
04:47Putin believes he can outlast us.
04:50But we are not going anywhere.
04:52Today is yet another clear sign that he is wrong.
04:56We are strengthening our support for Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia.
05:00This includes countering Russia's shadow fleet and other measures to pose strategic dilemmas for the Kremlin.
05:07Today, ministers reaffirmed our commitment to increasing defence investment, enhancing production
05:13and stepping up support for Ukraine.
05:17As we look to the Ankara summit, our priorities are clear.
05:21Investing in our security, strengthening our industry and sustaining our support for Ukraine
05:26so it has the means to endure this tough winter and beyond.
05:31Nobody wants peace more than Ukraine.
05:34And as we work hard for peace, we must continue to provide to Ukraine with the tool to defend
05:39its sovereignty and achieve a lasting resolution.
05:43Finally, NATO is a defensive alliance.
05:47We will remain a defensive alliance, but make no mistake.
05:50We are ready and willing to do what it takes to protect our 1 billion people and secure our
05:57territory.
06:00And I'm ready, of course, to take your questions.
06:02MS.
06:03Okay.
06:04We'll start in the second row with Reuters.
06:05MS.
06:06Thank you very much.
06:07Hi.
06:08MS.
06:09Lili from Reuters.
06:10In the NATO strategic concept, the Allies agreed a few years ago that the Russian Federation
06:17is the most significant and direct threat to Allies' security and to peace and stability
06:21in the Euro-Atlantic area.
06:24Based on your discussions today, do you believe that all Allies, including the United States,
06:29still share this assessment that Russia is the most significant threat to the Alliance?
06:34And what role will NATO have in future discussions, if they take place, over the European security
06:44architecture?
06:46In the second question, there's no reason to debate the outcome of the strategic concept.
06:52It's there.
06:53It stays there.
06:54And what I hear from all Allies, that they are completely committed to that thinking and
07:00also making sure that we implement all the measures consistently with that notion and
07:06that strategy.
07:07To the second question, that has to do, of course, with the peace process.
07:10As I said yesterday, when it comes to NATO, if anything about NATO would be discussed as
07:16part of the peace process, that will be dealt separately.
07:19So no news on that.
07:20MS.
07:21All right.
07:22Going here to the third row.
07:23Ansah.
07:24Hello.
07:25Hi.
07:26Hi.
07:27Hi.
07:28Hi.
07:29Secretary General.
07:30Mattia Bagnoli, Ansah, the National Italian News Agency.
07:33The Kremlin essentially said no to the latest US proposal, or at least this is what we read
07:40in the press.
07:42But, I mean, we've been there before.
07:44It seems like Groundhog Day.
07:46Do you agree that with those that who think that this is basically some sort of a CIPOP
07:53operation from the Kremlin to derail the US sanctions and the EU plan on the frozen assets,
08:00so kicking the can down the road?
08:02And secondly, the Finnish president Alexander Stubb said in an interview that the conditions
08:07for a just peace in Ukraine are unlikely to be met.
08:11And do you share that assessment?
08:14Well, again, as I said a number of times, there is only one person in the whole world who was
08:20able to break the deadlock when it comes to war in Ukraine, and that is the American president
08:25Donald J. Trump.
08:26And he did.
08:27He started in February to get engaged, and he is engaged up to and including today.
08:32And his team is engaged, including Steve Whitcoff, Marco Rubio, and all the key players
08:37on the American side.
08:39And that's crucial, because in the end, the US is by far the biggest ally in NATO and the
08:45strongest nation on earth.
08:46And it's really up to them first to break that deadlock and then make sure that others
08:51follow.
08:52But getting this peace done, as also the American president has said, is not something in a straight
08:59line in one go.
09:00You need proposals on the table.
09:01You need to have discussions.
09:02And we have seen the meetings in Geneva, in Miami, now yesterday in Moscow.
09:07It will be a step-by-step approach.
09:10The last thing I want to do is to basically make it more difficult to get to a deal by
09:17commenting on every in-between step.
09:19I can assure you that NATO here, the headquarters, myself, my team, is closely coordinating with
09:26the White House, with State Department, with all the relevant players on the American side,
09:30to be of maximum help in this process, because we find it crucial.
09:34And we all agree that, in the end, what you need is a sovereign Ukraine, a sovereign Ukraine
09:40which knows that we have in place the necessary so-called security guarantees by which Russia
09:47will, after a hopeful peace deal or a long-term ceasefire, they'll never again try to attack
09:52Ukraine, because then they know the reaction will be devastating.
09:55That's what we are aiming for.
09:57Okay.
09:58We'll come to the center here, the Finnish public broadcaster.
10:02Richard Russofinich, YLE.
10:05How significant are the new pledges to Pearl, in your opinion?
10:09And how do you respond to the criticism in some foremost northern member states regarding
10:15the burden-sharing in general in terms of supporting Ukraine?
10:19And what's your message to the countries who have not yet made pledges to Pearl?
10:25Yes, the number of countries not yet having made pledges to Pearl is really limited.
10:29As I said, over two-thirds of allies have now made pledges.
10:34We know that one or two is cooking at the moment in the government circles, and we have reason
10:40to believe there will be a positive outcome.
10:42So it's only a handful of nations now, a little over a handful, not having yet committed to
10:47the progress.
10:48So that's the good news.
10:49And I also understand the northern allies and others like the Netherlands or Canada
10:54or Germany saying, hey, listen guys, we need to spread the burden fairly.
10:59We need burden-sharing here.
11:01But the fact that also today, I think it is in total six countries, maybe even seven, depending
11:08on some final decisions in their capital, have committed to the Pearl program, is also testimony
11:13that we are getting there, and that the burden-sharing is now in a much better place than it was
11:18only, let's say, four or six weeks ago.
11:20And the fact that now even New Zealand and Australia, and they are not in NATO, they are close NATO-partnered
11:27through the Indo-Pacific foreign cooperation, but they are not in NATO, that they have also
11:31now committed to the program, is really great news.
11:34And it gives us the sustained flow of weapons into Ukraine from essential US stockpiles,
11:40and it's also a signal to Vladimir Vladimir Putin, we are not going anywhere.
11:45We are here to stay.
11:47We are here to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs going forward.
11:50And in itself, that's also putting pressure on the Russians, because they know, losing
11:5520,000 of their soldiers a month now in Ukraine, that we will keep on supporting Ukraine going
12:01forward.
12:02All right, let's see, Euronews in the fourth row towards the centre.
12:07Thank you, Shona Murray from Euronews.
12:12Can you tell us a little bit about the conversations in the room, or the consensus of whether there
12:16was one in relation to the use of immobilised Russian state assets?
12:21Obviously, we know there's the announcement from the Commission today, there's some countries
12:25there that have assets like France, the UK, Canada, aside from Belgium, and the US had
12:30obviously had plans initially to use them.
12:32So, tell us a little bit about the conversations and whether you think there should be a reparations
12:37loan using them.
12:38Thanks.
12:39And this is clearly something which is primarily, of course, playing out at the level of the
12:42European Union and the European Union in close conjunction with the UK, US and others.
12:47So, this was, let's say, indirectly today on the table.
12:52Because when we look at Ukraine for next year, if the reparations loan slash defreezing the
13:00assets or making the assets mobilised, whatever the exact phrase is we are using.
13:06If that is not happening, then it is absolutely clear that we need to get the money in another
13:12way.
13:13And I felt the commitment in the room first to see how far we can get.
13:16But again, that's on the EU side of town, first of all, to get this done.
13:21And, of course, NATO has no formal position.
13:23This is really an issue playing out in the EU.
13:26And I have the full confidence in the EU senior leadership, including Antonio Costa and Ursula
13:32von der Leyen, to steer that discussion.
13:35But there was also a clear understanding that if somehow this is not working out, Ukraine
13:39cannot be left alone.
13:40Then we have to make sure the money is still there, as we have done, by the way, over the
13:44last couple of years.
13:45Because we have been able to get the money necessary for Ukraine also without the frozen
13:50assets.
13:51Let's see how far we get, because, of course, it would make things easier.
13:54Okay, coming over here to the third row, third seat in.
13:59Sir.
14:00Thank you very much.
14:02Alex Callier from TVP World.
14:04Do you mention hybrid threats?
14:05We've seen increasingly brazen attacks attributed to Russia, including the attack on the Polish
14:11railways, which put Polish lives at risk.
14:14What concrete steps is NATO taking to address, preempt, prevent these escalating attacks from
14:21happening again?
14:23Well, first of all, let me refer to what Radek Sikorsky did, the Polish foreign minister.
14:31What he did is he directly linked the support of Poland to the Pearl program to what happened
14:37with this railway line.
14:40And he said if this happens again, we will again do more.
14:43So Russia, you have to know, we will create these asymmetric reactions.
14:47We will not blow up railway lines in Russia, but we will make sure you feel if you do stuff
14:52like this.
14:53Because it is extremely reckless and totally unacceptable.
14:56And of course, the question I think still in this particular case is who is exactly behind
15:02it.
15:03I don't know, but that's up to Poland and our intelligence services to find out in more detail.
15:09But he made clear that whatever is behind it, know that we will, as Poland, do more and
15:14more and more on Pearl if this happens.
15:16And we will also do other stuff.
15:18This is exactly our hybrid strategy, that be it intentional or not, whatever Russia is
15:24doing or Belarus is doing, look at the balloons with Lithuania, that we will react in a way
15:31of our own choosing, but they will feel it.
15:37Okay.
15:38We will go to the fourth row, NHK.
15:41Satya from NHK, the public TV station of Japan.
15:49Hello.
15:51I'd like to ask about the annual report on China that has been endorsed today by the ministers,
15:56I believe.
15:57Could you share with us what new concerns were raised by the allies?
16:01What you see in the debate about China for some time now in NATO, and today was I think
16:05also testimony of that, is that we see China closely working together with Russia.
16:11North Korea and Iran when it comes to enabling Russia's war effort in Ukraine.
16:16China can be seen as one of the key enablers, maybe even the key enabler of Russia when it
16:21comes to the war effort in Ukraine.
16:24By sanctioned circumvention, by dual-use goods deliveries, and also by other means.
16:30At the same time, we see China rapidly building up its own armed forces with a lack of transparency.
16:36There's a total lack of transparency, and what we do know, even with the lack of transparency,
16:41is that they will get to a thousand nuclear warheads by the end of the decade, that they
16:45have now more Navy ships sailing than the United States.
16:48They have, of course, a big shipbuilding industry.
16:51They have, anyway, a largely huge developed defense industrial base.
16:56We have some of the biggest defense industrial companies in the world now are from China.
17:00Five to ten years ago, you would find none.
17:02Now you find a couple in the top ten.
17:04So this is all evidence that we cannot be naïve.
17:07And we know they're thinking about Taiwan, and we also have the absolute conviction that
17:12if China would ever move against Taiwan, that first Xi Jinping will call Vladimir Putin
17:18and ask him to keep us busy in this part of the world.
17:20So these theatres, the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic, are more and more interconnected.
17:25So this is the type of debate on which we build on today.
17:29All right, let's come here to the second row.
17:33We'll have first Moldova.
17:35Thanks.
17:36Good afternoon, Yulia Sarvan, General TV, Republic of Moldova.
17:40Mr. Secretary-General, the airspace of the Republic of Moldova was repeatedly violated by Russian drones,
17:49and the risk is very high right now for the citizens.
17:52Are there any concrete measures that allies can take in order to protect our airspace?
17:58And the second question would be, recently Kayakala stated that the withdrawal of the Russian troops from the Transnistrian region
18:11should be part of the discussion in the negotiations of peace.
18:16I wonder whether you share this opinion.
18:21Do you think this could be a threat for Ukraine in the future?
18:27And, yeah, what do you think about this? Thanks.
18:30Yes, on the second question, that has again to do with the peace process which the US is currently leading.
18:37And as I said, we are closely coordinating with the United States, and of course also with other NATO allies,
18:43to make sure we are aligned to the maximum extent when it comes to the peace process.
18:48All very much basically commanding the fact that the US is doing this,
18:54and that the American president has taken that initiative and feels the responsibility as being the biggest nation on earth
19:01to get this terrible war to a conclusion.
19:05But again, I'm really reluctant to discuss all kinds of specific elements, because me doing that in an official press conference would add complexity to the peace talks.
19:15So you have to accept that I'm speaking a little bit blurred on this and not as open as I would like to do.
19:23On the first issue, when it comes to airspace violations in Moldova, I can assure you that NATO and Moldova and also Kanzler Khomeini,
19:31who is of course very close to Moldova, are closely coordinating with Moldova on this situation,
19:37of course trying to be maximum helpful and also clearly signaling to the Russians that this is reckless and unacceptable.
19:44Okay, and just next to her in the second row, Anadolu.
19:49Hello, Turkish news agency Anadolu, Melike Pala.
19:54While peace talks do and war in Ukraine going on, we are also seeing that countries threaten their military policies,
20:02such as extending service duration, considering mandatory construction for all men,
20:07and also increasingly including women in mobilization plans.
20:11Some European countries have already revised actually their laws to include women in construction,
20:19mobilization, training, and others are signaling similar intentions.
20:23So I wonder, how do you see this trend?
20:26Does it reflect preparation to secure long-term peace in Europe or a response to potential future conflicts?
20:34Well, when it comes to making sure that our militaries are to the max prepared for the situation at hand,
20:41and we know at the moment that Russia is spending about 40% of its state budget on defense, about $200 billion a year,
20:49and their purchasing power with the $200 billion is higher than we in Europe because of a different construction of our economies.
20:56They spend about 10% of their GDP now on defense.
21:01So given that fact and a rapid buildup of the Russian armed forces means that we have to react,
21:07and that is the 5% defense pledge, including 3.5% spent on core defense.
21:12And that has to do, of course, with men and women in uniform,
21:14but also with making sure that the defense industrial base can deliver the output necessary,
21:19like your defense industrial base in Turkey.
21:22There are over 3,000 companies part of that defense industrial base.
21:26It delivers the output to make sure that we can deter and defend.
21:31But then it is up to each nation to decide how do we get enough men and women in uniform.
21:36So you will have some nations with conscription.
21:38You will have some nations with models which are discussing conscription or make it more voluntary,
21:44like, for example, the recent decisions in Germany.
21:47Germany understands there is a constraint by the Constitution to also make that offer to the women, the young women in Germany.
21:58We see in Norway that, in the meantime, one in three men and women in uniform in Norway are women.
22:04So this is rapidly building up.
22:06But in the end, it is up to each nation.
22:08What we will look at consistently is our nations delivering what they promise to do
22:14when it comes to interoperability, command and control,
22:18and when it comes to your specific question, the capability targets,
22:21including the size of the armed forces and the industrial output.
22:26And, of course, the money is spent on that.
22:29But then those specific decisions are up to each country.
22:32Okay, we have time for a few more.
22:34We'll go to the fourth row on the aisle.
22:35Union, Ukraine, Metro Klichko.
22:40Let's imagine the negotiations break down, both sides continue fighting,
22:47and USA stops supplying weapons to Ukraine even for money.
22:53Do you have a plan B for this? Thank you.
22:56Well, I do not... No. I don't think that plan B we have to think about.
23:01Because the U.S. is very consistent in support for Ukraine.
23:04Like all NATO allies are very consistent.
23:06Of course, what the U.S. told us is we want to supply Ukraine with the necessary weapons,
23:12both lethal and non-lethal.
23:14But we expect Europeans and Canadians to step up when it comes to the paying for it.
23:19And that's this pearl program where the U.S. is delivering the necessary weapons,
23:23including the air defense systems and the PEC-3 missiles for the Patriot systems,
23:28but also for the other air defense systems and all the other stuff
23:33and all the military gear you need to stay as strong as possible in the fight,
23:37paid for by European and Canadian allies.
23:39And that is the big program which started in July,
23:42and at the moment already 5-4 billion,
23:44and I think by the end of the year 5 billion of that supply will have been delivered to Ukraine.
23:48Critical material.
23:50But I have no reason to think that we have to prepare for those eventualities.
23:54Okay, third row in the center here.
23:57Michael Kalinian, The Insider, Russian Media in Exile.
24:05So my question is what real pressure can NATO put on Russia to end the war?
24:13And why should it work?
24:16Because by now we don't see that Russia is ready to end the war and nothing seems to work.
24:25Well, there is a peace process ongoing, and let's do the max to make that into a success.
24:30But if it is not successful, and what we have done consistently over the last three or four years,
24:36there's a couple of things.
24:37First of all, making sure Ukraine has the weapons it needs to fight the war.
24:41And the Pearl Initiative, starting in July and now having delivered at the end of this year
24:46at least over 4 billion, but I'm, again, confident we will get to the 5 billion for the full year,
24:51and then, of course, continuing the program next year of key US supplies to Ukraine,
24:57is also putting pressure on Russia, because it shows that we are serious.
25:01As I said, we are not going anywhere.
25:03We are serious.
25:04We will make sure that Ukraine has what it needs to stay in the fight.
25:07Secondly, we have the economic sanctions, which are having an impact on the Russian economy.
25:13And there is only so much Putin can do to paper that over.
25:18To a certain extent, with some sovereign assets and whatever he has,
25:21he can try to give the impression to the Russian people that all is fine,
25:24but we know that increasingly it is hollowing out, and he is getting to the end of the line
25:30when it comes to these ways of covering up for the huge economic impact of the sanctions.
25:35Thirdly, what we are doing is, indeed, when it comes to the shadow fleet, for example,
25:41increasingly taking action to make sure that we make it more difficult for the shadow fleet to sail.
25:47And if they pose a threat to the environment or to whatever vital infrastructure we have in our part of the world,
25:56that we will make sure that we intervene, and that's what we are doing.
25:59And all of this is putting pressure, of course, on the Russians, and we will continue doing so.
26:04And whenever there is a creative idea to do more, we will do more.
26:07But I feel all allies really being extremely motivated to get this done.
26:14And just next to him in the third row here.
26:19Hi, Alexey Minchonek, Belarusian independent media outlet Zircula.
26:24Relations between the United States and Belarus are going to improve.
26:28Now Washington has a special envoy for Belarus.
26:31In your opinion, shouldn't NATO also improve relations with Belarus?
26:35Could this help to separate country from Russia?
26:38Well, I commend the American initiatives to see how that relationship can be improved.
26:43And I'm in contact with the special envoy who is a specialist on this, who is doing great work,
26:49who is also working on getting some of the people freed who are still in Belarusian custody.
26:56So all of this is positive.
26:58And, of course, if all the nations could help, we will.
27:01But at the moment I think it is really important that the U.S. is taking this initiative.
27:05Okay.
27:06And final question, we'll go over here to Deutsche Welle.
27:10Ksenia Polska, Deutsche Welle for Ukrainian and Russian service.
27:14Thank you very much for the floor.
27:16So you talked about what is already being done to put pressure on Russia.
27:20But I would like to know, you are familiar with the matter of the talks.
27:25I know you don't want to talk about the details very much.
27:28But do you know whether the Russian position, thanks to your American counterparts,
27:35has moved a tiny bit closer to the Ukrainian position within these days, thanks to all these measures that are being taken?
27:45And also, what should the next steps by NATO and the European Union, the allies and partners be,
27:52to actually make sure that at some point, and we hope sometime soon, both Russia and Ukraine sit at the table?
28:00To your first question, I survived 14 years of Dutch media, and they are really tough.
28:06So I recognize the sort of question you ask, and I really respect it.
28:12But I will not get into it, because it still would get me into commenting on a process which I think benefits for me not commenting on it.
28:21So I will not do that.
28:23When it comes to the second question, we have to continue the pressure on Russia,
28:28because we do not know whether the peace process will eventually lead to a successful outcome.
28:33If so, we all pray for it.
28:35That would be fantastic in a way where Ukraine is coming forward as a sovereign nation,
28:40where Ukraine will be able to defend itself by its own armed forces, by credible security guarantees,
28:47so that other than what happened after the Minsk agreement, Russia will not try again post such a potential peace agreement.
28:55And that means continuing the flow of weapons, continuing the economic pressure,
29:00and therefore changing the calculus of President Putin for him to understand that there is no way out,
29:06that eventually he will have to compromise, be it now, hopefully, and if not, in the near future.
29:15Thank you all so much, and have a good afternoon.
29:17Have a great afternoon. Thank you.
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