NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte downplayed fears of friction between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after their tense White House talks last week ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday (22 October).
Rutte said his meeting with Trump was pre-planned and he would focus on “conveying his vision for peace in Ukraine.”
“A meeting has already been scheduled”
When asked by Sky News whether his visit signaled that Trump’s meeting with Zelensky was a “total disaster”, Rutte dismissed the suggestion. “No, not at all. It was planned earlier,” he said.
He added that he had been in touch with Trump after what he called “a huge success in Gaza.” “We said we will meet in Washington to discuss how we can now implement his vision of peace in Ukraine,” Rutte explained, describing the Trump-Zelensky meeting as “a good meeting” and “successful.”
“Only Trump can do that”
Rutte praised Trump’s leadership in Ukraine, saying the NATO alliance had been “renewed and strengthened again” since he returned to office in January. He credited Trump with “breaking the impasse” with Russian President Vladimir Putin after their phone conversation in February.
“I have complete confidence in President Trump and he is the only one who can do it,” Rutte said when asked if Putin had convinced Trump to soften his stance on Russia. “Trump’s leadership is key here. He clearly provides it and he has to have a dialogue with all the leaders. He has to have a dialogue with Putin, he has to have a dialogue with Zelensky,” he added.
Trump-Zelensky meeting ends without arms deal
Trump hosted Zelensky at the White House last Friday, but the talks, which a senior Ukrainian official described as “tense,” ended without an announcement on the provision of Tomahawk missiles to Kiev.
Zelenskyy said in Oslo on Wednesday that he supports Trump’s proposal to use the current front line as a basis for talks with Moscow, but doubts Russian cooperation. “Trump suggested ‘Stay where we stayed and start a conversation,'” Zelenskyy said. “I think it was a good compromise, but I’m not sure Putin will support it, and I told the president that.”
Putin’s meeting postponed
Trump was supposed to meet Putin in Budapest in the coming weeks, but postponed the meeting. A White House official confirmed that “President Trump is not scheduled to meet with President Putin in the immediate future.”
Trump, who has emphasized his personal relationship with Putin as key to a peace deal, has reportedly grown frustrated with the Russian leader’s reluctance to make concessions.
Key things:
-Rutte says his meeting with Trump in Washington was scheduled before the Trump-Zelensky talks.
– NATO chief praises Trump’s leadership, says only he can ensure peace in Ukraine.
-Trump’s meeting with Zelensky ended without an arms deal.
– Putin’s meeting was postponed due to growing uncertainty about the negotiations.
