The whole West is threatened if an aggressor isn't challenged, Dutch PM says

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Thursday it was imperative that Europe continued to basal up to Russia's aggression, saying the portion had to bash "everything we tin to assistance Ukrainians."

"If an aggressor is not challenged and tin spell astir his business, it won't extremity with Ukraine. The full West is threatened," Rutte told CNBC, arsenic helium discussed Europe's effect to the warfare successful Ukriane astatine the World Economic Forum successful Davos.

Rutte referenced the 1938 Munich Agreement successful his treatment with CNBC's Steve Sedgwick, wherever the allied forces agreed that Czechoslovakia would surrender its borderline regions and defenses to Nazi Germany.

"People consciousness that this is astir values, that we cannot judge 1 state invading different state … It is besides astir our corporate safety," helium added.

Rutte besides said Europe needs to bash much to assistance Ukraine, but that the contented of sending tanks is "a delicate decision."

"I bash hold determination is an statement to nonstop [tanks] to Ukraine. There is besides an statement to instrumentality the determination successful conjunction with others, including our friends successful the U.S.," helium said, adding that helium was "fairly optimistic" that the concern "could get to a landing spot."

"We person to bash everything we tin to assistance Ukrainians," Rutte said.

Ukraine has repeatedly asked its Western allies to supply tanks to assistance it combat Russia, which has caused hostility betwixt European countries, with immoderate fearing the proviso of weapons could further provoke Moscow.

But the portion could beryllium adjacent to reaching an agreement.

"My knowing is that a woody has fundamentally been worked out," John E. Herbst, elder manager of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center and a erstwhile U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, told CNBC Monday.

"We cognize that the laggard present has been Germany, and it seems that the Germans person present been persuaded that one, they'll fto different countries which person Leopard tanks nonstop them to Ukraine — that, I'm assured of — and I besides deliberation it's highly likely, but I'm not arsenic confident, that you'll spot Germany nonstop immoderate Leopards arsenic well," helium said.

When asked astir Germany's contributions, Rutte said the state has ever "done immoderate needed to beryllium done" to assistance Ukraine.

— CNBC's Holly Ellyatt contributed to this report.