NATO's Rutte Calls for More Western Support for Ukraine

Speaking ahead of a meeting Tuesday in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, Rutte said, “We must do more than just keep Ukraine in the fight."

He added, "We need to raise the cost for Putin and his enabling authoritarian friends by providing Ukraine with the support it needs to change the trajectory of the conflict.”

Rutte, who did not provided details about the military equipment and weapons needed for that purpose, said it was “very concerning” that Russia was getting “closer to its allies, China, Iran and North Korea.”

The comments come as the US, South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

“Russia, working together with North Korea, Iran and China, is not only threatening Europe... but also the Indo-Pacific and North America. So we must stand together,” Rutte said.

Macron reiterated his call for a “strong Europe” as being key to NATO but also as a response to “what the US

administration rightly expects” in an apparent reference to the election of Donald Trump for a second term.