NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte made it clear during his visit to Washington: Europe will be spending more on defense. But when it came to talking about President Donald Trump’s controversial plan for peace in Ukraine, he stayed silent.
Rutte met with President Trump and members of his national security team this week. Afterward, he told reporters that any peace deal would “involve compromises,” but he refused to say whether he supports Trump’s proposal – which would let Russia keep control of Ukrainian land it took by force.
When pressed, Rutte drew a comparison to the Soviet Union’s control of the Baltic states during World War II. Those countries later regained their independence and joined NATO in 2004.
Rutte pointed out the difference between recognizing territory taken illegally and simply acknowledging it exists in reality.
“There’s a difference between accepting a situation and legally recognizing it,” Rutte said.
READ ALSO: Russian Man Sentenced to Over Four Years for Social Media Comment About Military Symbol
Meanwhile, Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, was in Moscow meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin – a move that raised eyebrows given the tense state of international relations.
The trip marked Rutte’s second to Washington in just three months. As NATO’s new chief, he’s been working to strengthen the alliance and respond to growing concerns about Russia and China’s military buildup.
On Ukraine’s future in NATO, Rutte held firm: “The promise made to Ukraine in 2024 still stands. They’re on an irreversible path to joining NATO.”
As for money, Rutte wouldn’t say how much European nations will commit to defense at NATO’s June summit.
But he confirmed they’re preparing for a major increase – partly in response to Trump urging allies to spend 5% of their GDP, well above the current 2% goal.
“I think it will still be based on GDP,” Rutte said. “But the final decision will come in June.”
