What Rutte said
At the Munich Security Conference, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged allies not to respond to Kremlin propaganda and noted: the advance of Russian forces is happening very slowly — "at the speed of a garden snail." The report is from the agency Anadolu.
"They want us to perceive the Russians as a mighty bear, but one could argue that they are advancing through Ukraine at the speed of a garden snail. And let's not forget that. So we must not fall into the trap of Russian propaganda."
— Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General
Why the metaphor is not just for effect
Rutte uses a simple image to pose two questions: first, how to distinguish an information operation from real risks; second, whether perceiving the advance as "slow" might lead allies to reduce the pace of assistance. The real risk is when complex operations at the front are transformed into a policy of resource cuts.
Figures and context
According to Rutte, Russian losses are large: in December 2025 — about 35,000 killed; in January 2026 — about 30,000. He also stressed the agreement among NATO defense ministers to continue supporting Ukraine following the meeting in Brussels. Separately, Alliance representatives have reported increasing enemy losses for several months in a row.
These figures should be read together with two facts: first, high losses hurt the ability to conduct large offensive operations; second, even a "slow" advance can change the front line and require constant material and logistical support from Ukraine and its partners.
NATO — EU: closer coordination
Rutte noted that cooperation between NATO and the EU is currently very strong, and European allies are taking on more responsibility for their own security. This is an important signal: political will is turning into operational decisions — from arms deliveries to overall logistics.
"The defense forces have ensured that the Russian army is not growing — the number of occupiers killed over the year has more than doubled."
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (22 January 2026)
What this means for Ukraine
The metaphor of the "garden snail" acts as a safeguard against two mistakes: underestimating Russia's losses and overestimating the pace of its successes. For Ukraine, this means the need for steady assistance remains — even if the enemy's advance appears slow. Long-term, predictable support increases the chances of systemic operational successes and allows operations to be planned without the risk of sudden resource shortfalls.
Conclusion
Rutte is not only criticizing propaganda — he is underlining a practical logic: a slow advance does not make the war less costly for Russia and does not remove the need for stable support for Ukraine. The question for the allies now is whether they will turn words and figures into durable decisions that will withstand the test of time?
