NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte does not expect the appointment of a new Ukrainian defence minister to bring major changes to Kiev’s strategy in its fight against Russia, he told dpa on Thursday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to remove defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov after just six months in office has sparked rare protests in Kiev. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko is reportedly under consideration to succeed him.
But Rutte said he expects “continuity” as the Ukrainian military is “doing much better” on the frontline than at the start of the year. The invading army is advancing very slowly, and Ukraine has been able to counterattack in some areas, he added.
Russia is losing between 25,000 and 35,000 soldiers a month, Rutte noted.
“If you are a young Russian man contemplating to join the war effort, you might be one of those approximately 30,000 this month or next month,” the former Dutch prime minister said, calling the toll “terrible news for the families involved, for the people involved.”
In addition, Ukraine is also “striking deep into Russia,” hitting its energy infrastructure and industrial base, he said. “I had a good working relationship with Mykhailo Fedorov,” the NATO leader said. “I wish him well, and his successor no doubt will continue that path.”