By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-12-16 11:36:29 | Updated at 2024-12-16 13:57:04
2 hours ago
Nato chief Mark Rutte will hold talks with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders on Wednesday, the alliance said, as Kyiv’s backers seek to strengthen its hand before Donald Trump takes power in the United States.
“The Secretary General will meet with President Zelensky on Wednesday. A number of European leaders are in Brussels for the European Council meeting and some of them may join to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine, in particular air defence,” a Nato official said on Monday.
European officials said that leaders expected to attend included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish leader Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The meeting comes as Ukraine’s European allies have begun discussing the possibility of stationing foreign troops in Ukraine in case of a ceasefire with Russia.
US president-elect Trump has vowed to push for a quick deal to halt the fighting when he assumes office in January.
