NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte issued a strong statement on Wednesday, 26 March 2025, stressing that the alliance retains every right to determine its own policies, despite Russia's demands. His words were a response to a question about NATO's position on Moscow's alleged conditions for ending the conflict in Ukraine, which include the withdrawal of the bloc's forces from the territories of states that recently joined the alliance. Rutte made it clear that such initiatives by the Russian leadership cannot dictate the actions of the 32 member states of the organization.

Speaking to reporters, Rutte noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin has the right to voice his proposals at the negotiating table, but this does not give him the authority to tell NATO how to build relations within the bloc or deploy its forces.

“He can make any demands, but we decide for ourselves how to respond to them,” — the Secretary General emphasized, emphasizing the alliance’s sovereignty in decision-making.

According to him, Russia's attempts to impose its conditions are perceived as a challenge to which NATO is ready to respond in accordance with its interests and the principles of collective defense.

Rutte's statement comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and the West over the conflict in Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly cited NATO's eastward expansion as a key reason for the escalation, demanding that the alliance guarantee non-interference in its area of ​​interest. In particular, in recent years, Russia has protested against the bloc's increased military presence in the Baltic states, Poland and Romania, as well as against the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, which is scheduled to end in 2023 and 2024, respectively. These steps, according to the Kremlin, violate previous agreements and threaten the country's security.

Meanwhile, NATO continues to build up its forces on the eastern flank. In early 2025, it became known about the alliance’s plans to deploy additional multinational battalions in Slovakia and Hungary, which caused another wave of criticism from Moscow. Rutte, who took over as Secretary General in October 2024, has focused on strengthening the unity of the bloc and supporting Ukraine from the very beginning of his term. In March 2025, he already visited Kyiv, where he confirmed the alliance’s intention to continue arms supplies and training for the Ukrainian military, despite warnings from Russia.