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: "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." "Imagine," he added, "a conflict that reaches every home, every workplace, with mass destruction and displacement, millions displaced, widespread suffering, and extreme losses. It is a terrible thought, but if we honor our commitments, this is a tragedy we can avert."

The Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance insisted that "this is not a time for complacency." "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 urged a strengthening of military and political engagement with Ukraine.

His remarks, made at an event in Munich organized by the Security Conference, come as Ukraine and several European countries are leading a new peace proposal to present to the Kremlin. Zelensky has sent it to the White House. The document, which is still being drafted, includes 20 points ranging from security guarantees to an agreement on the country's reconstruction. One of the key aspects, which will not please Donald Trump, is that, "despite the progress," according to Zelensky, there is no agreement on the territorial issue. Especially regarding the 20% of Donbas that Russia claims as its own, but which it has not militarily conquered. There is also no agreement on the Zaporizhia nuclear facility.

Washington has proposed a possible interim compromise: turning this area into a demilitarized zone or a special economic zone. Kyiv insists that any Ukrainian withdrawal should be accompanied by an equivalent withdrawal of Russian forces. But the possible creation of this large demilitarized zone, Perhaps a zone 40 to 50 kilometers wide to freeze the current front line—Zelensky's preferred option—would require an international force presence that no European capital is currently in a position to guarantee. The White House proposal lacks any fine print indicating how Russia would be prevented from exerting influence or how pro-Russian militias would be infiltrated.

One more version

The new Ukrainian proposal sent to the White House is "just another version" and does not constitute a final text, the Ukrainian president said at a press conference in Kyiv. In any case, Zelensky did suggest for the first time that "any territorial concessions should be submitted to the opinion of the Ukrainian people," either through elections or a referendum, which would significantly lengthen the process. Regarding the armed forces, Kyiv's proposal is for 800,000 soldiers, double the number suggested by Washington. The stalemate on key issues postpones any meeting between Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart and the European allies, a meeting that would only make sense if there is "real progress" in the negotiations. Germany is considering holding a meeting in Berlin next week to try to bridge the gaps, but the differences remain enormous. Europe and Ukraine, therefore, 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: reaching a possible preliminary agreement before Christmas. A deadline that, according to diplomatic analysts, would not necessarily imply the final signing of any agreement, but rather a clear definition of how far Europe and Ukraine are willing to go in terms of concessions and security guarantees. In this context, and in parallel, the European Union faces a key moment next week: the decision on the frozen Russian assets, 210 billion euros, the majority (185 billion in Belgian banks) of which will be debated again at the summit of the 21 member states. It is a colossal fund that Ukraine considers essential for the day-to-day running of the state and to finance both the public sector and its immediate military needs. But the decision is far from having reached a consensus. Belgium has once again warned that it will not bear the legal and financial risk of releasing the funds alone. Belgian diplomats caution that if Russia decides to claim the funds, the amount would be equivalent to a third of the country's GDP, an "unmanageable" responsibility without a shared European mechanism. The EU is therefore debating how to distribute risks and guarantees among member states to unlock the fund. The discussion still seems far from over. For Ukraine, the decision is urgent and closely linked to the progress of its peace plan: without stable funding, they argue, it is impossible to negotiate from a position of strength or envision a future of reconstruction.