Ukraine peace deal in Russia's favour poses "dire threat" to US NATO chief warns Trump

NATO's new Secretary-General Mark Rutte has issued a stern warning to US president-elect Donald Trump about a “dire threat” posed by growing ties between US adversaries, including China, Iran, and North Korea.

Rutte emphasized that if Ukraine were to be forced into a peace deal that favours Moscow, it could ignite a dangerous alliance between these countries, creating a long-term threat to both Europe and the United States, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“We cannot have a situation where we have [North Korean leader] Kim Jong Un and the Russian leader and Xi Jinping and Iran high-fiving because we came to a deal which is not good for Ukraine, because long-term that will be a dire security threat not only to Europe but also to the US,” Rutte said.

He highlighted the emerging risks of Russia's missile technology being supplied to North Korea and financial support provided to Iran, which is being used to bolster groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. Rutte stressed that such partnerships could destabilize regions beyond just Eastern Europe.

“Look at the missile technology which is now being sent from Russia into North Korea, which is posing a dire threat not only to South Korea, Japan, but also to the US mainland,” the NATO chief noted.

Rutte also warned about China's growing involvement, pointing to Chinese President Xi Jinping's potential ambitions if the war in Ukraine ends in a way that benefits Russia. "And there is one Xi Jinping watching very carefully what comes out of this," he added. "These were the points I made."

Rutte’s remarks came after a meeting with Trump on November 22, where he sought to convince the president-elect to continue US support for Ukraine and to stay committed to NATO's collective security efforts.

Trump, who has vowed to end the war in Ukraine "in 24 hours" during his campaign, has selected former general Keith Kellogg as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg has advocated for freezing the current battle lines and pushing Kyiv and Moscow to negotiate a settlement.

Rutte, who previously worked closely with Trump during his first presidency, has maintained a strong commitment to strengthening NATO defence spending in the face of rising global tensions.

By Khagan Isayev