Rutte, more apocalyptic than ever: "We are Russia's next target"

LondonMore apocalyptic than ever, the NATO Secretary General issued a stark warning this Thursday from Berlin. Mark Rutte cautioned that Europe is "Russia's next target and we are already in danger." Consequently, he called on Western governments to prepare for a war scenario comparable to that experienced by the continent's "grandparents and great-grandparents." With words laden with calculated drama, further emphasizing the need for rearmament, Rutte urged a strengthening of military and political commitment to Ukraine: "Imagine a conflict that reaches every home, every workplace, with destruction and mass mobilization, but with widespread suffering and commitments—this is a tragedy we can avoid."

The Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance insisted that "this is not a time for complacency." He added: "It seems to me that too many people are comfortably complacent. Many don't perceive the urgency. And many believe that time is on our side. It isn't. The time to act is now. Allied defense spending and production must increase rapidly. Our armed forces must have what they need to keep us safe." He also made historical references: "During the Cold War, President Reagan warned about the aggressive impulses of an evil empire. Today, President Putin is once again dedicated to building an empire."

His remarks, in the opening address at the Bavarian State Representation, organized by the Munich Security Conference (MSC), come at a time when Ukraine and several European countries are leading a new peace proposal that, according to diplomatic sources cited by various European media outlets, has the support of the United States. In fact, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz asserted this morning, before meeting with Rutte and following a phone call with President Donald Trump yesterday, that Washington would be "prepared to walk that path" alongside the Europeans. But everything still sounds very ambiguous, especially for President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In any case, the initiative, which has been circulating among Western capitals, has been the subject of intense negotiations. The document the Europeans are working with has gone through multiple versions and has passed through all hands: Russian, American, and European. The thorniest issue for reaching a ceasefire remains that of the occupied territories: Merz has indicated that the most recent text refers to territorial concessions that Ukraine could accept, but so far Kyiv has shown no signs of wanting to cede Donbas or the strategic enclave of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

Another sensitive point is the possible creation of a large demilitarized zone to freeze The current front line, perhaps between 40 and 50 kilometers wide. This strip, still to be defined, would require an international presence, and at the moment no European capital is commenting on which forces would assume it, nor how Russia would be prevented from exerting influence.

Europe and Ukraine continue to depend on the Donald Trump's whimsWith London, Paris, and Berlin trying to keep the White House involved in a process that the US president has accelerated with his own timetable: to reach a possible preliminary agreement before Christmas. A deadline that, according to diplomatic analysts, would not necessarily imply the final signing of an agreement, but would provide a clear definition of how far Europe and Ukraine are willing to go in terms of concessions and security guarantees.

Misgivings in Kyiv

However, the current debate is generating deep misgivings in Ukraine. Ivanna Klimpuix-Tsintsadze, an opposition deputy and former deputy prime minister, also warned on Thursday in an interview with the BBC that the plan is unlikely to establish "a lasting and sustainable peace" in her country, and could even encourage further aggression in other parts of the world by eroding international law. According to the parliamentarian, any agreement that imposes territorial concessions on Ukraine would open the door to greater instability. This sentiment is shared by Zelensky's European partners, who will hold a virtual meeting this afternoon regarding the so-called Volunteer Coalition, three days after the Ukrainian president He will be interviewed in person. with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Foreign Minister Merz.

British diplomat Peter Ricketts, former national security advisor, also believes that the known content of the peace plan remains too vague. "The realistic solution involves a ceasefire with forces maintaining their current positions and an internationally monitored buffer zone," he stated in the UK press. But this would require solid security guarantees, especially for Ukraine, which is unlikely to accept the peace-for-territory deal the Kremlin wants without binding commitments. Future NATO membership, which in theory could be the strongest guarantee, is not on the table, and any intermediate formula would be fragile and vulnerable to future Russian offensives.

The possibility of the United States formally recognizing territories occupied by Russia, as some reports suggest, would be a historic shift in American foreign policy and an immense sacrifice for Ukraine. Ricketts believes this point will be extraordinarily difficult for Kyiv and European public opinion to accept. Given this scenario, Rutte's warnings aim to mobilize European governments and parliaments toward an urgent increase in defense spending. Although his language has sounded apocalyptic, perhaps his ultimate intention is to reinforce the perception of threat to prevent Russia from further expanding its military and hybrid pressure on Europe.