Rutte: NATO security guarantees for Ukraine must not repeat past failures

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said this at a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, a Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In response to a question on whether the guarantees would involve the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine, Rutte stressed that discussions are still ongoing at multiple levels — including national security advisers and foreign ministers — and that Ukraine is actively involved, alongside European countries and the United States.

“So, we are really working together on this. It is too early to exactly say what the outcome will be. But clearly, the U.S. will be involved, clearly, we do not want a repeat of the Budapest Memorandum or the Minsk agreements. These security guarantees should be effective,” Rutte said.

He emphasized that partner guarantees would serve as a second layer of security after the strengthening of Ukraine’s armed forces in the postwar period, a process NATO intends to actively support.

“Of course, we are already heavily involved through our command in Wiesbaden, which is helping Ukraine to stay on the fight now. But we will also help Ukraine to develop its Armed Forces as a sovereign, proud nation going forward after a peace deal,” the NATO Secretary General added.

As reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said that the ongoing work on Ukraine’s security guarantees should mirror NATO’s Article 5 and also include long-term funding for the Ukrainian military.