Europe must secure its place at the negotiating table by presenting viable solutions, according to Rutte.

European countries need to actively propose their solutions in potential peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, rather than merely raising the question of their participation.

As reported by RBK-Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made this statement during his speech at the Munich Conference.

"Let me assure you completely that I know many European countries are already considering what they could do if a peace agreement with Ukraine is reached. I was a bit, as I said, surprised that when news about phone calls and the meeting of defense ministers in Brussels emerged, their reaction seemed somewhat like 'why aren't we at the table?' instead of coming forward with specific proposals," Rutte said.

He believes that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia should commence in any case, whether at the negotiation table, virtually, or in any other format. In this context, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be part of these negotiations.

"And Europe needs to secure its place at the negotiation table by being relevant in terms of costs, as well as by offering good proposals. And, of course, they have thought about this. But I don't know right now what the outcome of these peace negotiations will be, because they haven't even started yet," the Secretary General stated.

Negotiations on Ukraine

European countries are expressing concern about the potential exclusion from the negotiation process regarding Ukraine, as reported by Western media. EU representatives emphasize the importance of Europe’s involvement in the peaceful resolution, especially in light of Donald Trump's statements about possibly involving European peacekeepers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also stressed that Europe's role in the negotiations is critically important for achieving a just peace.

At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump's special representative for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, stated that he does not see Europe among the participants in the negotiations to resolve the war in Ukraine. He also mentioned that he would not want to exclude any party from the peace process.

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized that Europe urgently needs to develop its own action plan regarding Ukraine and its own security. Otherwise, key decisions will be made by other players.