At the IISS Defense Summit, Rutte stated that Ukraine is a sovereign country and that its decisions do not depend on Russia.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated that Ukraine is a sovereign country and that it should not seek Russia's approval to decide its future, referring to Ukraine's desire for international support. Rutte criticized the Kremlin's attitude, emphasizing that Russia should not be overestimated, comparing its economy to that of Texas. He also highlighted the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine, in the context of efforts to avoid repeating past mistakes.