NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has specifically called Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin the main culprit for the Russo-Ukraine war that has entered its fourth year, according to an interview he gave to the German publication Bild.
When asked why the war in Ukraine has not ended despite high hopes for peace earlier this year, Rutte simply replied: “The reason is Putin.”
He added that the Russian leader is willing to lose 1.1 million of his own soldiers while making almost no progress on the battlefield.
“This year, he has achieved only very minimal gains — less than 1 percent of Ukrainian territory compared to the start of the year. According to our estimates, up to 1.1 million Russians have been killed or wounded. It’s horrific. But it’s the reality we’re dealing with,” Rutte said.
Rutte also mentioned the role of U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office in January and was seen as someone who could help bring the war to an end.
“He was focused on ending this war. He was the only one who managed to bring Putin to the negotiating table — and ultimately the only one who could force him to make peace. I have great respect for that,” Rutte said.
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that European governments have begun directly warning their citizens about the risk of a war with Russia and the need to be prepared.
The New York-based publication said that such warnings would have been unthinkable just ten years ago, but today they have become routine.
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