Ukraine, Rutte: 'Three-level security guarantees, we are almost there'
Nato Secretary General: 'The first level is the Ukrainian armed forces. The second the Coalition of the Willing. The third the United States'
Ukraine will be given security guarantees on "three levels", with the involvement of the US, such that Russia will not dare to attack the neighbouring country again, because the reaction would be "devastating". This was explained by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, a guest of the Renew Europe parliamentary group in Brussels. From the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris, he said, "a three-tier approach to security guarantees for Ukraine emerged. The first level is the Ukrainian armed forces. They will, of course, be the first line of defence, like any country that defends itself'.
"The second element of security guarantees," he continued, will be what is called the Coalition of the Willing, brought together by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, with many countries working together to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, including training the Ukrainian armed forces and whatever is necessary to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself.
But, Rutte continued, 'there is a third element, and the third element is the United States. The United States is now fully involved.And the involvement of the United States in providing security guarantees is really extremely important". According to Rutte, 'this means that we now have an almost ready package. We have to finalise the last details. But this will create a situation where, if Russia ever thinks of attacking again, it will only think about it for a couple of minutes and then leave it alone." "Because Russia knows that the situation has changed radically since Minsk and the reaction will be devastating. It will not do so," he concluded.
Russian raid on Kharkiv
Meanwhile, at least four dead and six wounded are the death toll of a Russian attack last night on the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, local authorities report: a paediatric medical centre was also hit. Moscow claims to have shot down 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions. The US condemned Russia's use of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile.
Russian forces fired almost 300 drones and dozens of missiles of various types at Ukraine overnight, the Kiev military said, quoted by local media, pointing out that "most of the targets were destroyed" by the air defence forces. "On the night of 13 January, the enemy attacked with 18 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles, as well as seven Iskander-K missiles," reads a note. The Russians used 293 Shahed, Gerbera and other types of drones.
