Mark Rutte Thanks Trump for His Leadership

On August 18, 2025, during a multilateral meeting at the White House, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed his gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for initiating dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he believes broke the deadlock in the Ukraine conflict. Rutte noted that Trump’s first phone call with Putin in February set the stage for the current progress. He emphasized that if all parties play their cards well, the war could be brought to an end and stressed the urgent need to stop the killings and the destruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure, describing the conflict as a “terrible war.”

Rutte praised Trump’s leadership, acknowledging his support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European colleagues. He highlighted that Trump’s willingness to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine represented a significant breakthrough, stating, “This is truly a breakthrough, and it changes everything.” European leaders, including Rutte, viewed Trump’s engagement as a crucial step toward ending the war and underscored the importance of collaborative efforts between the United States and Europe to address Ukraine’s security concerns and work toward a peaceful resolution.