NATO head urges ‘robust’ guarantees in Kyiv – DW – 08/22/2025

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called for “robust security guarantees” for Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv.

He said these were needed to ensure that Russia “will never, ever again attempt to take one square kilometer of Ukraine.”

“Robust security guarantees will be essential and this is what we are now working to define,” Rutte said at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Rutte also said that although it was “too early to exactly say what will be the outcome,” the US would “clearly” be involved in such an agreement.

Zelenskyy said security guarantees would “consist of what partners can give Ukraine, as well as what the army in Ukraine should be like” once the war ends.

“And it is too early to say who can provide military personnel, who can provide intelligence, who has a presence at sea or in the air, and who is ready to provide funding,” he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will only meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when there is an appropriate “agenda” for the talks, Russia’s foreign minister said.

In an interview with US broadcaster NBC, Sergey Lavrov said no meeting was planned for now.

“Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda would be ready for a summit. And this agenda is not ready at all,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Kyiv, Zelenskyy reiterated his open request to meet with Putin.

“The Russians are doing everything they can to prevent the meeting from taking place,” Zelenskyy said on Friday.

“Unlike Russia, Ukraine is not afraid of any meeting with leaders.”

The European Union disbursed €4 billion ($4.7 billion) in aid to Ukraine on Friday.

It said the transfer of the funds was made possible after Ukraine withdrew a law that would have restricted the independence of its anti-corruption authorities. The EU officials added that corruption reforms and rule of law were crucial for Ukraine’s future path towards EU membership.

“EU solidarity with Ukraine is unwavering,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on social media.

“This is our commitment not only to Ukraine’s recovery, but to its future as a sovereign and democratic country,” she added.

Today we are covering NATO chief Mark Rutte’s visit to Kyiv, where he spoke to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about future security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.

Meanwhile, Russia has cast doubt on the prospects of a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said such a meeting could only take place once both sides had agreed to the agenda.