NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reaffirmed on Thursday the need to step up support for Ukraine, adding it was vital Russia did not win as it could result in Russian President Vladimir Putin 'high fiving' the leaders of North Korea and China.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned on Thursday that a Russian victory over Ukraine would undermine the dissuasive force of the world’s biggest military alliance and that its credibility could cost trillions to restore.

NATO chief Mark Rutte supported Trump's push for higher defence budgets and warned that a Russian victory in Ukraine would damage NATO's credibility and increase costs.

Russia on Thursday rejected the idea of NATO countries sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire in the war with Russia, saying such a move would threaten to cause an "uncontrollable escalation".

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Thursday called for the U.S. to continue supplying Ukraine and said Europe would pay the bill. Speaking at an event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the NATO chief said the alliance must invest more in defence,

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte does not want to make Ukraine's potential membership of the defence alliance dependent on Russia's stance. NATO must make it clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no right of veto and no vote on who will join the alliance in the future,