NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told alliance foreign ministers on 3 December that Ukraine's relationship with the alliance will be handled separately from ongoing peace negotiations between Washington and Moscow, as American envoy Steve Witkoff concluded talks with Russian officials.
Rutte confirmed no consensus currently exists among NATO's 32 members for Ukraine's immediate membership, though he reaffirmed Kyiv remains on an "irreversible path" to eventual membership declared at the 2024 Washington summit. This dual-track approach lets NATO preserve Ukraine's long-term alliance prospects while developing alternative security frameworks that could end the war without surrendering membership aspirations to Russian veto power.
Membership question splits principle from practice
Speaking to journalists on 2 December, Rutte distinguished between NATO's principled position and practical realities. "The practical situation is as you know that there is consensus required by all allies for Ukraine to join NATO," he stated. "And right now, as you know, there is no consensus on Ukraine joining NATO."
The Secretary General emphasized that foundational commitments remain intact—the 2008 Bucharest declaration that "Ukraine will become a member" still stands, as does the 2024 Washington summit language on Ukraine's "irreversible" path. But practical admission requires unanimous consent from all 32 members, and several allies remain skeptical of admitting a country actively at war with a nuclear power.
On NATO elements of any peace deal, Rutte was clear: "That will be dealt with separately and that obviously will include NATO," ensuring the alliance maintains control over decisions affecting its own structure.
Security guarantees as membership alternative
France and the United Kingdom are leading a "coalition of the willing" to develop alternative security frameworks for post-war Ukraine. The approach aims to avoid repeating the failures of the 2015 Minsk agreement, which Russia violated seven years later with its full-scale invasion.
A critical development came in August 2025 when the United States signaled willingness to participate. "You've also heard the Americans saying we want to participate in the security guarantees. I think that was a very important moment in August when that happened," Rutte said. The proposed framework would build on Ukrainian armed forces as "the first layer of defense" with international backing providing additional deterrence.
Peace talks advance through multiple channels
Trump's negotiation initiative has progressed significantly since February 2025, when the president began delivering on his election promise by engaging diplomatically with Putin. Recent discussions have evolved from the initial 28-point proposal, with American teams holding consultations in Geneva and Miami before Witkoff's Moscow visit.
"We all want the bloodshed to stop and I strongly welcome President Trump's continued efforts to end this war," Rutte told ministers at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels on 3 December.
The Secretary General declined to comment on specific negotiation details. "I don't want to comment on every step. So last night was of course important, there will be more steps but you will not hear me on every step," he said. "We closely coordinate with the Americans what's happening but not commenting on every step."
Rutte maintained constant coordination with Secretary of State Marco Rubio despite his absence from Brussels. "Marco Rubio is very much involved, of course, in all of this. The teams are in constant contact. I personally am in constant contact with him," the Secretary General confirmed.
Military support sustains Ukraine's negotiating position
NATO's PURL program purchasing American equipment for Ukraine reached $4 billion by early December, keeping the alliance on track to meet its $5 billion target for 2025. "We are now at 4 billion. So that means we are really on track for the one billion a month August, September, October, November," Rutte announced. "And I'm cautiously optimistic that we will reach the 5 billion for the full year."
For 2026, NATO aims to sustain at least $12 billion in weapons purchases, focusing on critical systems unavailable from European production. Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada announced new contributions ahead of the Brussels meeting, bringing participation to approximately two-thirds of the alliance.
"Whilst they take place and we are not sure when they will end, Ukraine is in the strongest possible position to keep the fight going, to fight back against the Russians, but also in strongest possible position when peace talks really get to a point where they sit at the table," Rutte emphasized.
Rutte reminded ministers that the Hague Summit earlier in 2025 established a historic 5% GDP defense spending target as NATO prepares for long-term confrontation with Russia. The alliance will assess progress on defense commitments and Ukraine's status at its next summit in Ankara in July 2026.
