Dutch defense minister: The US has made concessions to Russia before the negotiations would start

The Americans have made concessions before the Ukrainian negotiations would start, as Russia is now in a much stronger position on the battlefield, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said during an appearance on the TV program Buitenhof.

Brekelmans stated that this “reflects the fact that Putin is currently in a stronger position than Zelenskyy.” Earlier, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted that returning Ukraine’s borders to what they were in 2014 is an unrealistic goal. He also ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO and warned Europe that it needs to take care of its own security. Following this, U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said during a conference that Europe would have no place at the negotiating table to resolve the conflict. According to Brekelmans, these statements by U.S. officials are a “harsh reality.”

“This is due to the fact that European countries are currently unable to adequately articulate what they want and what they can offer,” the official stated. In this context, he supported NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s call for European countries to take a seat at the negotiating table. Europe should not complain but clearly demonstrate to the Americans what it is capable of in military terms, the Dutch defense minister believes.