NATO's Rutte calls for more Western support for Ukraine, warns of Russian alliances

PARIS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called on Western allies to provide Ukraine with further support “to change the trajectory of the conflict” with Russia.

Speaking ahead of a meeting Tuesday in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, Rutte said: “We must do more than just keep Ukraine in the fight."

He added: "We need to raise the cost for Putin and his enabling authoritarian friends by providing Ukraine with the support it needs to change the trajectory of the conflict.”

Rutte, who did not provided details about the military equipment and weapons needed for that purpose, said it was “very concerning” that Russia was getting “closer to its allies, China, Iran and North Korea.”

The comments come as the U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

“Russia, working together with North Korea, Iran and China, is not only threatening Europe... but also the Indo-Pacific and North America. So we must stand together,” Rutte said.

Macron reiterated his call for a “strong Europe” as being key to NATO but also as a response to “what the U.S. administration rightly expects” in an apparent reference to the election of Donald Trump for a second term.

During his first in the White House, Trump pushed the European NATO allies to spend more on defense, up to and beyond 2% of gross domestic product, and to be less reliant on U.S. military cover.

"For too long, Europe has avoided bearing the burden of its own security, believing that it could, in a way, receive the dividends of peace without any time limit," Macron said.