Tue Dec 03 22:40:00 UTC 2024: ## NATO Chief Sidesteps Ukraine Membership Question, Prioritizes Military Aid
**BRUSSELS, December 4, 2024** – NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Tuesday avoided directly addressing Ukraine’s potential membership in the alliance, emphasizing the immediate need to bolster Ukraine’s military capabilities for any future peace negotiations with Russia.
Mr. Rutte stressed that the current conflict’s trajectory favors neither side decisively, stating that “The front is not moving eastwards. It is slowly moving westwards.” He argued that focusing on supplying Ukraine with additional weaponry is crucial to strengthening its position before any peace talks commence. The decision regarding future negotiations and their conduct, he said, rests solely with the Ukrainian government.
First Piper 