NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte declared that Russia is struggling on the battlefield and that victory remains a distant dream for Vladimir Putin.
Speaking at a press conference following the 34th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Berlin, Rutte painted a bleak picture of Russia’s war effort and its economic trajectory.
“Russia is struggling on the battlefield. Victory is now a distant dream for Putin,” Rutte said.
On the Russian economy, Rutte stated that Moscow’s financial system is now entirely oriented toward sustaining the war rather than the welfare of its citizens. He noted that Russia is spending nearly 40% of its national budget on the conflict, with approximately 70% of all industrial machinery redirected to military production. Taxes are rising, and inflation has surged sharply.
Rutte also pointed to China as a critical factor keeping Russia’s war effort alive, warning that without Beijing’s support, Russia would not have been able to sustain its campaign in Ukraine.
The remarks came during the Ramstein-format defense ministerial in Berlin, attended by Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and defense chiefs from across NATO member states.
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Source: Interfax Ukraine | LaPresse | Sky News
Date: April 15, 2026