NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently traveled to South Florida to meet with President-elect Trump. They will discuss a peaceful way to end the Russia-Ukraine War. Rutte flew on a Dutch government plane, something NATO officials often do. The plane landed Friday morning near Mar-a-Lago.
The talks come after some of Joe Biden’s decisions have made the conflict worse. Ukraine used U.S. missiles for the first time on Tuesday, causing Russia to threaten a response. On Thursday, Russia fired a missile into Ukraine, hitting key targets in the city of Dnipro.
European leaders are now adjusting from dealing with Biden, who was aggressive about Ukraine, to Trump, who is less so. The former Dutch prime minister, Rutte, is known for his success in working with Trump during his first presidency.
News reports say European leaders have been talking to Trump since his victory on November 5. They are impressed that he is asking questions about Ukraine rather than making demands. For example, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke with Trump and noted that Trump was more of a listener and well-prepared.
Officials say Europe wants to have a good relationship with Trump during this crisis. Rutte, who is now the NATO secretary general, has been called “Trump’s whisperer.” He is known for calming Trump in the past, especially about NATO issues.
A German official said Rutte’s message to Trump will be that both Trump’s and Europe’s interests are served by a fair and lasting peace. This peace should not encourage Russian aggression and should provide security for Ukraine. Rutte also wants to discuss threats from Russia’s cooperation with China, North Korea, and Iran.
European leaders may advise Trump to decide on Ukraine in a way that won’t cause problems during his term. A key part of any peace deal would be to ensure Ukraine’s security so that this war won’t happen again.
During a recent meeting in Brussels with NATO defense ministers, Rutte encouraged European leaders to engage with Trump. He advised them to call Trump directly and get him involved, ensuring that America stays on Europe’s side.
Before Trump’s inauguration, Rutte also urged European defense ministers to increase their defense spending above the two percent of GDP target.
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