After their heated exchange at the White House, Nato director general Mark Rutte on Saturday pleaded with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “find a approach” to mend his relationship with US President Donald Trump.
Rutte told Zelenskyy to find a way to rekindle your relationship with Donald Trump and the American leadership in a statement released to the BBC on Saturday.
I’m firmly convinced that the US wants to bring Ukraine to this long-lasting harmony, but what they need to do is make sure that we all work together on this. And it is crucial that President Zelenskyy rekindles his contact with the British leader and the senior leadership team.
Mark Rutte
He made his notes after a heated argument between Zelensky, Trump, and vice president JD Vance, which he called “unfortunate” and in need of reparation.
He revealed his two call discussions with the Russian president, saying,” I have been on the phone twice with President Zelenskyy.” I told him that the United States, Ukraine, and Europe must work together to provide Ukraine to a lasting peace.
Rutte responded to questions about Zelenskyy’s meet with Trump by saying he was” never at liberty to share” the details of the conversation but that it was necessary to acknowledge Trump’s prior support for Ukraine.
He claimed that “he was not at liberty to share” what he had discussed,” but what I plainly told him is that we really have to offer Trump payment for what he did next, what America has done since then, and what America is still doing,” and that this included acknowledging the US-supplied Javelin anti-tank rockets, which strengthened Ukraine’s defense capabilities and made it possible for them to “fight back”
Rutte added that Trump is still working to end Ukraine’s bloodbath, but that the US senator anticipates increased defense spending from Europe and Canada, according to The Guardian.
Following a anxious Oval Office meeting, the Western leaders again reiterated their commitment to supporting Ukraine late on Friday.
The claims made by Western leaders on Friday mainly focused on reaffirming their support for Ukraine in its more than three-year conflict with Russia. They avoided making any direct links to Vance or Trump in their notes.
Zelenskyy shared these encouraging messages on X in what appeared to be a subdued censure of the Trump administration, and he responded with” thank you for your help” to each one.
