NATO Chief Says Alliance Still Strongly Backing Ukraine ― Even As Trump Backs Away
Source: Huff Post
Jun 23, 2025, 12:35 PM EDT
THE HAGUE, Netherlands ― NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday called Russia “the most significant and dire threat facing this alliance,” an assessment that could cause friction with the group’s largest member nation, currently led by a president who routinely defends Russia’s dictator, Vladimir Putin.
This week’s summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was shortened down to a social dinner hosted by Netherlands’ king Tuesday night, and then a two-hour business meeting Wednesday as a way to minimize the disruptions Donald Trump can cause, NATO analysts said.
Rutte, nevertheless, tried to assure the other 31 member countries that he is still focused on Russia’s “war of aggression” against its neighbor, Ukraine. To a question from a Ukrainian journalist, he said that the joint statement at the summit’s end will, contrary to reports, support that country.
“You will see important language about Ukraine, including connecting the defense spending up to 2035 to Ukraine and the need for Ukraine to stay in the fight. This is a clear commitment by allies,” Rutte said. He added that a commitment made by NATO a year ago to eventually allow Ukraine into the alliance remains in effect. “NATO allies agreed that for Ukraine there is an irreversible part of Ukraine to enter NATO, and that is still true today, and they will still be true on Thursday, after the summit,” Rutte said.
Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nato-trump-russia_n_68596976e4b069d795cff5cb
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