Pre-ministerial Press Conference by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Ahead of the Meetings of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs

Excerpt:  “Thank you and good afternoon. On Thursday and Friday NATO Foreign Ministers will meet to discuss pressing security issues as we continue planning for our Summit in The Hague. We will focus on strengthening our collective defence. It is the foundation on which NATO was built and it remains our number one priority. We will also meet with our key partners – Ukraine, the European Union, and our partners in the Indo-Pacific. We gather at a particularly crucial time for our shared security. With challenges too great for any of us to bear alone. This week marks a grim anniversary – when the world discovered the tragedy of Bucha. I visited in July 2022 and spoke with some of those who survived. We will never forget that devastation. Three years since the liberation of Bucha, Russia continues to wage war against Ukraine.  I commend President Trump for breaking the deadlock and I fully support the efforts undertaken by the US to bring this terrible war to a just and lasting end. As well as the efforts of the UK, France, and others to contribute to ensuring a lasting peace when the time comes.”