NATO Chief Rutte: We Don’t Care What Putin Thinks on Ukraine Joining NATO, He Has No Vote

EXCERPT:

RUTTE: “I see too many politicians inside Ukraine and outside Ukraine contemplating, if you would have peace talks, what would that mean first of all, for the territory the Russians have now captured? And secondly, what it would mean for NATO, yes and no? And the risk here is that we start to negotiate with Putin without Putin at the table. And the risk is that Putin is sitting in his reclining chair in Moscow, that he is just ticking boxes, yes or not NATO, yes or not keeping some of the territory I have captured in the past. So I would say our focus has to be to bring Ukraine in the best possible position when peace talks will start. And when they end, we have to make sure that the peace then we have collectively fostered that that peace is sustainable, will never, ever be challenged again. And yes, obviously full NATO membership is then the easiest outcome. But whatever exactly the outcome is, it has to be clear that is sustainable. And finally, on this, we have to make clear that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, has no veto and has no vote on whoever would join NATO in the future. Only if he wants to join NATO, but I don't think he wants, so, and he has nothing to say about it. We have to be very clear.”