Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ‘trying to break the people of Ukraine, hoping to weaken their resolve,’ but insisted that Ukrainians ‘have shown time and again they will not be broken.’ Speaking after a visit to Ukraine last week, Rutte stressed that the country ‘cannot sustain this fight or secure this peace alone,’ calling for continued allied support through Nato.
Rutte’s remarks come as Ukraine’s defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, prepares to join a Nato ministerial meeting on Wednesday to discuss how allies can enhance and make their support more effective. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned that active diplomacy would be undermined as long as Russia continues attacks on infrastructure and civilians. Trilateral US-Ukraine-Russia talks are expected to continue next week.
In a separate development, Nato announced that its Arctic Sentry mission, aimed at strengthening the alliance’s presence in the region, has formally begun. The move follows recent complaints by US President Donald Trump about Arctic security and his stated intention to acquire Greenland.
On the European front, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged the EU to ‘tear down’ economic barriers to become a ‘global giant,’ as leaders push for reforms to boost competitiveness. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are among those calling for rapid changes ahead of a summit in Brussels.
In a lighter note, Spanish bishops have launched a video game called ‘Level Up! A Two-player Game’ to promote Christian marriage amid declining church weddings. The retro-style game, released for Valentine’s Day, features a young couple navigating real-life situations to explore qualities like patience and empathy.
