Speaking at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, Rutte described Ukrainians as “quiet heroes”, noting that the burden of the war is carried not just by soldiers, but by civilians too.
“This war is about a sovereign people’s right to choose its own path. It is about freedom. Yours and ours,” Rutte said, recalling his address to the Ukrainian parliament just weeks after the invasion began in 2022.
“NATO stood with Ukraine from the beginning; we stand with you today, and we will stand with you throughout the challenges ahead,” he noted.
This morning, we gathered at NATO to mark the 4th anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
NATO stood with Ukraine 🇺🇦 from the beginning.
We stand with you today.
And we will stand with you throughout the challenges ahead. pic.twitter.com/uMrcwYmPUZ
— Mark Rutte (@SecGenNATO) February 24, 2026
The NATO chief said he visited Kyiv three weeks ago, where he witnessed homes and energy infrastructure “struck without mercy by Russia”, and paid tribute to those who died on the Maidan in 2014.
Rutte was clear that promises alone would not end the war.
“Ukraine needs ammunition today and every day until the bloodshed stops,” he said, calling for continued “military, financial and humanitarian aid” so the country can defend itself against Russian air strikes and hold the front line.
He added that “Russia has failed to meet their ambitions on the battlefield”, and that President “Putin must show if he is serious about peace”.
Rutte also noted that President Trump has been clear from the outset about wanting to end the war now.
For any peace to last, Rutte argued, Ukraine would need “strong Ukrainian forces ready to deter and defend and effective security guarantees from Ukraine’s partners – Europe, Canada and the United States.”
(ał)
Source: PAP, NATO