Rutte explained in an interview with a German radio station on Monday: “The message to Russian President Vladimir Putin is that we will continue, that we will do what is necessary to ensure that he cannot implement what he wants, and that Ukraine wins.”
Rutte spoke from American base It hosts the headquarters of the new mission, which bears the name (Security Assistance and Training from… NATO Ukraine), which will gradually assume coordination of Western military support for Kiev.
This measure is widely seen as an effort to protect the aid mechanism amid the possible return of the US presidential candidate Donald Trump For the White House.
Diplomats believe that handing over military aid coordination to NATO may have a limited impact given that… US It is the dominant power in NATO and provides the majority of weapons to Ukraine.
The total number of mission personnel is expected to reach about 700, which includes forces stationed at NATO’s military headquarters in Belgium and at logistical centers in Poland and Romania.
The Wiesbaden base also includes the American unit responsible for the long-range missiles that Washington will deploy in Germany temporarily starting in 2026, to confront what the two countries describe as the threat they pose. Russian missiles Stationed near Kaliningrad, about 500 kilometers from Berlin.
On his first visit to Germany as Secretary General of NATO, Rutte welcomed this step, which Russia denounced as a provocation and sparked sharp controversy in the country. Democratic Party Social Council led by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Rutte, who served as Dutch prime minister from 2010 until 2024, said it was important for NATO to have the full range of capabilities needed to deter the Russian threat.
