NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has made no statement suggesting that Ukraine “must fight until 2030.” In reality, Rutte warned that Russia could be prepared to use military force against NATO within the next five years, and emphasized that the threat to European security will persist even after the war in Ukraine concludes.
Pro-Russian media outlets and social media accounts are spreading disinformation alleging that NATO and EU member states support the indefinite extension of hostilities in Ukraine. Citing a distorted version of recent remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, these posts falsely claim that the Alliance has “openly ordered Ukraine to fight until 2030.”
“NATO openly states that a truce in Ukraine is not in its interest because Russia is producing large quantities of weapons — let her spend them in Ukraine while Europe gains time to rearm,” the disinformation narratives claim.
This disinformation stems from a June 9, 2025, speech delivered by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) in London. In his remarks, Rutte addressed the broader security threats facing NATO member states amid ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine and highlighted the growing alignment between authoritarian regimes in North Korea, Iran, Russia, and China.
The Secretary General warned that Russia’s war machine is accelerating rather than weakening, as Moscow rebuilds its military capacity with the help of Chinese technology and continues ramping up weapons production.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that Russia has no plans to halt its military aggression, describing President Vladimir Putin as “a clear expansionist.” While the Kremlin currently lacks the capacity to strike NATO territory, Rutte cautioned that continued Allied inaction could allow Moscow to build such capabilities within a few years. He also pointed to growing military cooperation among Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China, portraying it as a coalition preparing for potential large-scale conflict.
“NATO economy is 25 times bigger than Russia. It’s 50 trillion, and the Russian economy is 2 trillion. That 2 trillion economy is producing four times as much ammunition as the whole of NATO is producing at the moment… So, the clear gaps are there, and we have a heavily reconstituting Russia at a pace which is really threatening. They cannot mount a successful attack against NATO territory now, but in three to five years, they might be able,” Rutte noted.
Pro-Russian media outlets seized on Rutte’s remarks to spin disinformation narratives, falsely suggesting he predicted the duration of the war in Ukraine. In reality, the NATO Secretary-General made no such forecast. Instead, he underscored that Ukraine and its partners remain committed to securing a lasting peace grounded in democratic values. Rutte warned, however, that the existential threat facing Europe will persist beyond the end of the war, stressing the need for a “quantum leap” in NATO’s collective defense posture.
“President Putin does not act like someone who is interested in peace. Russia continues to strike civilian targets in Ukraine, day after day, night after night. This is violence, for the sake of violence. We fully support President Trump’s efforts to stop the bloodshed. The people of Ukraine deserve a just and lasting peace. NATO’s practical and political support to Ukraine continues. Our long-term support is not about prolonging the war. It is about helping Ukraine defend itself today, and preventing any future aggression,” Rutte stressed.
The Kremlin continues to manipulate the narrative around peace negotiations and an end to its war against Ukraine, projecting an image of willingness to talk while simultaneously obstructing any meaningful path toward a genuine resolution. In reality, Moscow is actively blocking concrete efforts aimed at restoring peace. For deeper insight into these tactics, see StopFake’s investigations, including: Manipulation: Kyiv Rules Out Agreements with Moscow, Fake: U.S. and U.K. Announce ‘Military Intervention’ in Ukraine, and Fake: Czech Military Confirms Plans to Deploy Troops to Ukraine.
