18.12.2025 23:02
Speaking about Ukraine's NATO membership, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that three allied countries do not want Kiev in the alliance. Rutte stated that in principle, every country, including Ukraine, can apply for NATO membership, but in practice, countries like the United States, Hungary, and Slovakia are the ones that would block the consensus needed for Kiev's accession to NATO.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Following the meeting, which addressed NATO-Poland relations, the security of NATO's eastern flank, and a ceasefire and peace in Ukraine, a joint press conference was held.
"THE COUNTRIES THAT BLOCK UKRAINE'S NATO MEMBERSHIP: THE USA, HUNGARY, SLOVAKIA"
In response to a journalist's question about Ukraine's NATO membership and security guarantees, Rutte stated that there is a principled and practical element regarding Ukraine's NATO membership, emphasizing that every country in the Euro-Atlantic region can apply for membership, as stated in the Washington Treaty. Rutte said, "The practical element is that some allies are currently saying they will not give their approval, thus blocking consensus on Ukraine's entry into NATO. Hungary, the United States, Slovakia, and perhaps a few other countries are examples of this."
THREE-LAYER SECURITY GUARANTEES FOR UKRAINE
Rutte expressed that the main issue is how to prevent Russia from attacking Ukraine again in the event of a long-term ceasefire or a complete peace agreement. He stated that this is where the three-layer security guarantees come into play. He noted that the first layer consists of the Ukrainian Armed Forces outside NATO territory, which will serve as the first line of defense for the Ukrainian army. "The second line of defense is a voluntary coalition being designed under the leadership of the UK and France. At this point, how can Europeans, together with Canada, ensure the maintenance of peace? The third line of defense is the USA. The US President indicated last August that he wanted his country to be part of these security guarantees. Discussions are ongoing about what this will mean exactly and how this collective security guarantees package will look," he said.
PATRIOT AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS BECOME OPERATIONAL IN POLAND
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that today is a historic day for Poland, security, and the North Atlantic Alliance, as the Patriot air defense systems sent to Poland by the Netherlands have become operational as of today. He expressed that Poland has complete confidence in NATO and is always ready to fulfill its obligations to its allies in NATO, saying, "We thank NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for the Eastern Sentry and Baltic Sentry operations, which strengthen the security of the eastern flank, protect the airspace, and enhance Baltic security."