NATO chief rejects Russia’s role in deciding foreign troop presence in Ukraine

During a recent session at the IISS Prague event, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte firmly dismissed Russia’s claims to influence the deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine as part of potential security guarantees.

“But why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine? It’s a sovereign country. It’s not for them to decide…,” Rutte stated, responding to questions about Russia’s opposition to NATO forces being stationed in Ukraine, The Guardian reports.

Russia has nothing to do with this. … Ukraine is a sovereign nation. If Ukraine wants to have security guarantee forces in Ukraine to support the peace deal, it’s up to them. Nobody else can decide about it.

By Vafa Guliyeva