BRUSSELS 

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said President Donald Trump broke the deadlock with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and "now Europe and Canada with the US must design security guarantees to ensure Ukraine has full backing in talks."

Speaking at the joint press conference with Czech Prime Minister Peter Fiala in Prague, Rutte emphasized that the international community is coordinating closely to prepare security guarantees that would ensure Ukraine has the full support of NATO members and partners outside the alliance, alongside a strong national defense.

The NATO chief said that after the Aug. 15 meeting in Alaska between Trump and Putin, it is "now for us to design the security guarantees as Europeans and Canada with the US to make sure that when talks start, the Ukrainian president knows that he has the full backing of the US, of Canada, the Europeans, all of us in NATO, but also our countries outside NATO."

He added that the foundation of these guarantees should be the strengthening of Ukraine's armed forces.

Fiala highlighted the unified stance of NATO allies, noting the need to continue support for Ukraine so it can defend itself and maintain pressure on Russia, while creating conditions for a lasting peace.

Referring to the meeting of the coalition of the willing in Paris, the Czech leader said: "There is also a strong consensus that there must be robust security guarantees, which would deter Russia from further aggression."