MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, while promising Kiev the deployment of alliance troops following the end of hostilities, is engaging in what retired Major-General Leonid Ivlev of the State Duma describes as "Ukrainian fairy tales." Ivlev contends that Rutte lacks the necessary military authority to make such commitments.

Earlier, during his speech in the Verkhovna Rada, Rutte asserted that forces from the "coalition of the willing" would appear in Ukraine - on land, at sea, and in the air - immediately after a peace agreement with Russia is reached.

"Mark Rutte is spinning grandiose Ukrainian fairy tales in the Verkhovna Rada," Ivlev remarked. "He is a nobody within NATO's military hierarchy; he has no authority to command troops. The NATO Secretary-General primarily oversees high-level discussions within the alliance, manages staff at NATO headquarters in Mons, Belgium, mediates among allies, and represents NATO in press conferences and official events." Ivlev further clarified that the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe is US General Alexus Grynkewich.

Russia has repeatedly and consistently warned the West that any foreign military contingents deployed in Ukraine will be considered legitimate targets by Moscow. On December 17, 2025, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed Moscow's firm stance on the issue. Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that ensuring Ukraine's security through "foreign military intervention in some part of Ukrainian territory" would be unacceptable to Russia.