Putin has no veto power over NATO membership

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Lerato Khumalo

World Economic Forum

Rutte: Putin has no right of veto over NATO membership

Updated on January 23, 2025 – 10:29 amReading time: 1 min.

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In Davos, Rutte spoke on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. (archive image) (Source: Virginia Mayo/AP/dpa/dpa-bilder)

Ukraine wants to become a member of NATO. It is still too early for that, says Secretary General Rutte. But he makes it clear who he doesn’t want to listen to when it comes to the question.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte does not want to make Ukraine’s membership in the defense alliance dependent on Russia’s stance. “We must make it clear that Vladimir Putin has no veto right and no vote on who will join NATO in the future,” said Rutte on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The Dutchman assumes that Ukraine will one day join NATO. But first there must be a sustainable peace in the Russian war of aggression, he said at an event organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. “And for it to be sustainable, we must ensure that Putin never, ever, ever tries to conquer a square kilometer of Ukraine again.” Now it’s about putting Ukraine in the best possible position before peace talks begin.

Rutte also emphasized that member states must significantly increase their contributions to NATO. “Two percent is not nearly enough,” he said. If it stays that way, NATO will no longer be able to defend itself in four or five years. Rutte did not give a number. Most recently, US President Donald Trump demanded that the allies spend five percent of their gross domestic product on defense in the future. For Germany and many others, this would mean that they would have to more than double their defense spending.