NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spoke with Fox News on Wednesday regarding his recent meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. He expressed confidence that the Trump administration is taking the correct steps to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, despite the recent cancellation of a meeting between Trump and Putin.
The discussions occurred shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to the White House and focused on how to maintain the positive momentum that followed a recent peace agreement in the Middle East.
“Together, we can alter President Vladimir Putin’s calculations,” Rutte said during the interview, highlighting recent sanctions against India and the proposal to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine as possible motivators for the Kremlin. He pointed out that Russia’s slow territorial gains and significant losses could be crucial in pushing for an end to the war, which has been dragging on for over three years.
Rutte conveyed optimism regarding the Trump administration’s strategies, noting the long lines of cars seeking gasoline in regions suffering supply shortages, exacerbated by Ukraine’s military actions and existing sanctions. This, he suggested, reflects the economic distress the ongoing conflict is inflicting on Russia.
The U.S. Treasury has enacted sanctions against two of Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, following several drone and missile strikes that resulted in numerous casualties across Ukraine.
However, Fox News anchor Bret Baier challenged Rutte’s positivity, reminding him that increased attacks in Ukraine have often followed attempts at dialogue with Putin. For example, after a summit in Alaska last August, Russia launched a major aerial assault on Ukraine.
“What do you say to those who argue that reaching out to President Putin places him in a less vulnerable position?” Baier asked.
“We always anticipated this would be a complex issue…” Rutte acknowledged, adding, “This isn’t resolving itself overnight.”
He also mentioned the close collaboration between President Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in efforts to curtail Russian oil sales, alongside NATO’s united front against potential threats.
In the last several weeks, NATO members have seen increased military activity, including three Russian planes flying over Estonia and a drone entering Poland. Rutte affirmed that NATO responded appropriately, stating, “We’ve been training and preparing for this.”
If Russian aircraft were to pose a threat, he clarified, NATO would have the authority to engage them. Otherwise, non-threatening aircraft would be redirected out of NATO airspace.
Rutte expressed his belief that President Trump genuinely wishes to halt the violence. “He’s a true pacifist,” Rutte remarked, emphasizing that this cause resonates deeply with Trump.
Lastly, he underscored the immediate need to freeze hostilities and encourage negotiations between Ukrainian President Zelenskiy and Russian President Putin, suggesting that halting the conflict is the first step before discussing further issues.
