Nato chief Mark Rutte has issued a stark warning to of a ‘dire threat’ to the United States if is pushed into a bad peace deal.
The incoming American President has promised to strike an agreement with Kremlin chief to end the war ‘within 24 hours’ of taking office.
But many fear that any such deal would involve having to cede land already taken by Russian troops – something Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky has ruled unacceptable.
And Mr Rutte yesterday spoke out, warning that forcing Kyiv into a poor peace treaty with will only embolden Iran and China.
Nato’s Secretary-General cautioned against Mr Trump’s plans for a quick peace deal, which he said would lead to the West’s enemies “high fiving” and plotting their own attacks.
“We cannot have a situation where we have and the Russian leader and and Iran high-fiving because we came to a deal which is not good for ,” he said.
“Long-term, that will be a dire security threat not only to Europe but also to the US.”
Mr Rutte, who met Mr Trump and his foreign policy team on Nov 23 to discuss a “range of global security issues facing the alliance,” said he had warned the president-elect about a sharp end to the war during their discussion.
The western alliance chief, who took office in October, added that there were deep military and economic ties between , China, North Korea and Iran with money and weapons changing hands, fuelling the wars in and the Middle East.
“The fact that Iran, North Korea, China and are working so closely together…[means] these various parts of the world where conflict is…are more and more getting connected,” he said.
The Nato chief stressed that there must instead be a “good deal” for when the time comes to negotiate with , and he called for the US to continue military support in the meantime.
But experts have warned it is impossible to predict what the incoming American President – who takes office in January and has had an ambiguous relationship with Putin – might do.
Mr Trump has promised to bring a swift end to the war in , and his allies have suggested he may lean on Kyiv to offer territory to in exchange for a ceasefire.
However, supporters of – including UK Prime Minister Sir – have argued that the West must continue to supply arms to help Kyiv defend itself.
And Mr Rutte’s intervention suggests Nato and other Western countries may try to convince Mr Trump to continue US support for by arguing that it is in America’s interests to do so.
Several of Mr Trump’s top team have said they believe is a European problem, and that the US’s focus should be on China and Iran.
Mr Rutte’s attempt to connect global issues may prove persuasive, despite opposition to high levels of military spending on within the Republican Party.
Mr Trump has already called on Nato members to increase domestic military spending to 3 per cent of GDP, a 50 per cent boost from its current level.
