Rutte: Full victory in the war is unlikely, conflict will end in compromise

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed the conviction that a full victory for either side in the war between Russia and Ukraine is unlikely. In his assessment, the end of hostilities will most likely involve the signing of a peace treaty that includes certain compromise solutions.

Position on the prospects of the conflict

Commenting on the situation, Rutte emphasised the difficulty of achieving an uncompromising outcome:

«Маловероятно, что кто-либо одержит в этой войне полную победу. Нам остается надеяться, что эта война закончится, хотя маловероятно, что Украина вернет себе всю свою территорию. То, на какие условия в рамках возможного соглашения готова пойти Украина, — это исключительно её решение. Только Зеленский и его правительство могут принять такое решение от имени украинского народа. Однако подобные войны всегда заканчиваются мирным соглашением, а это зачастую предполагает компромисс» (It is unlikely that anyone will achieve a full victory in this war. We are left with the hope that this war will end, although it is unlikely that Ukraine will regain all its territory. What terms Ukraine is ready to accept within a possible agreement is exclusively its decision. Only Zelenskyy and his government can make such a decision on behalf of the Ukrainian people. However, such wars always end with a peace agreement, which often implies compromise), Rutte noted.

The decision remains with Kyiv

The NATO Secretary General stressed that only Ukraine has the right to make any decisions regarding the terms of a potential peace treaty. According to Rutte, only President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government can make such a decision on behalf of the Ukrainian people.