Rutte warns Russia: Attempting to attack Poland will face our devastating response

Rutte spoke during a visit to Warsaw, where he made a brief statement with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Tusk said it is important to prepare for any possible outcome of negotiations between Russia and the United States for ending the war in Ukraine, which has been continuing for three years.

NATO member states along the eastern border of the alliance, especially Poland and the Baltic states, are extremely concerned that negotiations could end up in an agreement benefiting Russia. They fear such a result would allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to rebuild military capabilities and threaten other countries in the region in the coming years.

“Putin should not think it can go away with” “either Putin and no one else should think they can escape with something like that”, Rutte said.

If someone were to misjudge the situation and thought he might attack Poland or any other coalition member, they would face the full strength of this strong alliance. Our reaction will be destructive. This should become absolutely clear Vladimir Putin and all those who want to attack us”, Rutte said.

Rutte's warning comes at a time when President Donald Trump's return to power has shaken security assumptions that have been the foundation of the decades-old European-American alliance. Because of this, Europe is increasingly trying to reduce its dependence on American security protection and is planning ambitious investments in its industry and military weapons.

“Russia remains the darkest threat to NATO”, Trump said at a recent meeting with Rutte at the White House that he did not believe a peace deal for Ukraine would lead to Russia's attack on other countries.

Rutte, however, has warned earlier that Russia may again be able to attack European soil by the end of this decade.

Let's not forget that Russia remains the most important and darkest threat to our alliance. Let's not forget either that Russia is heading towards a war economy and that it will strongly influence its ability to build its army”, Rutte said on Wednesday./Periscopi/