Rutte advises Zelenskyy to restore relationship with Trump
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
Yesterday, a confrontation occurred in the Oval Office between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte advised the Ukrainian leader to restore relations with the US president, according to CGTN America and The Guardian.
"I told Zelenskyy you have to find a way to restore your relationship with Donald Trump and the US administration," Rutte said in an interview with BBC.
He emphasized that the US, Ukraine, and Europe need to stay united in order to bring Ukraine to a lasting peace.
When asked what Zelenskyy said about his meeting with Trump, Rutte replied that he was not authorized to disclose what they discussed. However, he made it clear to Zelenskyy that "we really have to respect what President Trump has done so far for Ukraine" (referring to the Javelin anti-tank missiles supplied by the US).
The NATO Secretary General added that Ukraine would be "nowhere" without the support of the United States.
"So I told him, we really have to give Trump credit for what he did then, what America did since then, and also what America is still doing," Rutte stressed.
He also called yesterday's meeting between the two leaders at the White House "unsuccessful."
Additionally, Rutte insisted that Trump aims to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine but stated that the US president would like Europe and Canada to spend more on defense.
"Listen, I spoke for half an hour on Thursday with Donald Trump, on the phone with President Trump. We are friends. We have worked for years together. I know he is committed to bringing Ukraine to a durable peace. He is committed to Nato. Of course. He expects European Nato partners in Canada to spend more and to ramp up defense production. And he is right there," the NATO Secretary General said.
What preceded it
Yesterday, a conflict erupted between the two leaders. This occurred after US Vice President JD Vance stated during a press briefing that diplomacy with Russia was the only path to resolve the conflict (the war in Ukraine).
Zelenskyy responded by asking which diplomacy Vance was referring to, reminding that Russia had not honored previous agreements. This, in turn, angered Trump, who then accused the Ukrainian leader of "gambling with World War Three."
Following the incident, Zelenskyy left the White House early. The planned joint press conference was canceled, and an agreement on mineral resources was not signed.
Soon after, Ukraine's American allies and European leaders expressed their support for Zelenskyy. US Democrats in Congress condemned Trump’s behavior, while the US president’s team, in contrast, placed the blame on the Ukrainian leader.
For more details on what happened, read RBC-Ukraine's article.
