NATO Secretary-General Mark Latte emphasized that the alliance is confident in Ukraine’s ability to continue its efforts, especially as President Trump prepares for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15.
There was some concern when Trump revealed he met with Putin in Alaska, particularly because Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not invited to the talks.
However, US ambassadors from both the White House and NATO are hopeful about the possibility of a trilateral summit involving Ukraine as well.
In an interview with Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Rutte affirmed NATO’s support for Ukraine. He stated, “As you mentioned, NATO is coordinating everything through our command in Wiesbaden, ensuring that Ukraine is equipped to stay in the fight and positioned well for any ceasefire negotiations.”
Moscow recently proposed a ceasefire deal to the Trump administration, suggesting that control of eastern Ukraine could be exchanged for a three-year halt to the conflict.
Zelensky responded to this new proposal on social media, asserting, “Decisions made without Ukraine are not true decisions for peace. They lead nowhere and equate to death.”
Latte indicated that the upcoming meeting on Friday might keep Ukraine sidelined until there are signs that Putin is engaging in serious negotiations.
“That meeting will serve as a test for Putin by President Trump,” he said. “It’s essential that Ukraine be included in discussions about security assurances related to peace negotiations and any developments regarding territorial concerns.”
The NATO chief commended Trump’s efforts since taking office to facilitate a peace agreement.
“I believe it’s beneficial that President Trump is putting Putin to the test, and it will be interesting to see how far he can progress during their meeting on Friday. He initiated dialogue with Putin after his previous engagement in February, which contrasted with former President Biden’s approach.”
Latte also praised Trump for his executive order issued on August 6, which imposed a 25% tariff on India’s imports of Russian oil, raising the total to 50%. This tariff is set to take effect 21 days after being signed.
Additionally, he mentioned the 5% defense spending agreement Trump secured with NATO allies in June, as well as an initiative in July to send additional arms to Ukraine.
“Under Trump’s leadership, we had a significant NATO summit that reaffirmed a commitment to 5% defense spending. This underscores that Russia remains our primary threat. Just three weeks ago, he facilitated the delivery of advanced weaponry to Ukraine, coordinated by NATO,” he added.
