NATO chief to urge US not to force Russia-friendly deal on Ukraine, FT reports

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is expected to use his visit to Washington on April 24 to urge the U.S. not to pressure Ukraine into accepting a peace agreement that favors Moscow, the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing three officials briefed on the trip.

According to the publication, Rutte is scheduled to meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

His message will focus on the risks of brokering a deal that disregards Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the broader threat such a move would pose to European security.

Rutte will reportedly emphasize that any settlement imposed on Kyiv — especially one aligning with Kremlin demands — would only embolden Russian aggression and further destabilize the region, the sources said.

The visit comes as Ukraine faces mounting pressure to respond to a controversial U.S. peace proposal reportedly presented in Paris on April 17.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the plan includes U.S. recognition of Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and a ban on Ukraine joining NATO — two core Russian demands.

Ukraine has categorically rejected any settlement involving territorial concessions. "This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 22.

U.S. President Donald Trump has denied that Ukraine is being forced to accept the Crimea clause. However, he has criticized Zelensky's refusal to consider the issue as "harmful to the peace negotiations."

The proposal has sparked backlash even from Trump's supporters. Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the plan on April 24, calling it a reward for Russian aggression and warning that it risks allowing Russia to regroup for another assault.

On April 24, Russia launched deadly missile strikes on Kyiv, killing at least 12 civilians and injuring 90. Trump responded by saying he was "not happy" with the attack, calling it "not necessary" and poorly timed, but stopped short of issuing a condemnation or threatening consequences.

Ukraine has already accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire first introduced on March 11. Russia has so far refused to agree, continuing offensive operations across Ukraine's front lines.

Rutte is also expected to discuss NATO's long-term defense posture in Europe, including transferring more of the alliance's military burden from the U.S. to European forces, according to FT sources.