Rutte to Shmyhal: We’ll continue to support you
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte assured Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal of continued allied support for Ukraine's efforts to counter Russian aggression.
He made this statement at a joint press conference with Shmyhal, who is participating in NATO events for the first time both as Defense Minister and during his premiership.
“We just had a very successful meeting under the leadership of John Healey of United Kingdom and Boris Pistorius of Germany, of the UDCG, the Ukraine Defence Contact group. And we had nineteen countries speaking, and all of them announcing what they will supply to Ukraine, sometimes through PURL, other initiatives, but in many cases, also bilateral. So I think that was a very, very good day, but still a lot to do, because we have to get you through winter, we have to make clear to Putin that he can never win this and that we will keep on supporting you,” Rutte assured.
According to him, NATO “clearly prioritises to keep Ukraine in the fight as strong as possible today, making sure that all Allies, but also outside NATO, our partners, give to Ukraine whatever they can to make sure that you have what you need, both in lethal and non-lethal air defence systems, etc, etc.” “Recently, we had the good news from the US that they decided to again supply to Ukraine all the military gear, the military kit only the US is able to provide. And there is no alternative,” NATO Secretary General said.
Rutte announced again that in addition to the six allies that have committed to PURL – the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Norway and Denmark – other allies have joined the initiative. “But coming out of today's meeting, we have over half of all Allies, so more than sixteen, seventeen Allies now committing to PURL,” he repeated the information already voiced. However, the Secretary-General did not name which countries had joined.