Donald Trump and NATO’s Mark Rutte meet in Florida
President-elect Trump met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this week in Florida – as Europe awaits how the incoming administration approaches the war in Ukraine.
Rutte and Trump’s Friday Palm Beach sit-down included discussions on a wide “range of global security issues facing” NATO, said Farah Dakhlallah, a spokesperson for the transatlantic military alliance on Saturday.
No other specifics on the session were provided.
Rutte also met with Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), Trump’s pick to be his national security adviser, as well as other members of Trump’s incoming national security team.
Waltz has previously raised concerns over U.S. military aid for Ukraine, saying Europe should increase its spending.
Rutte and Trump’s meeting occurred as concerns mounted that his second term as president could see diminished support for Ukraine’s war effort.
While on the campaign trail in February, Trump declared that if he was re-elected president he’d “encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member that does not pay enough for defense.
Allies, however, remain cautiously optimistic that Trump will continue supporting Ukraine and NATO.
Rutte earlier this month congratulated Trump on being re-elected.
He wrote Nov. 6 on X that the president-elect’s “leadership will again be key to keeping our Alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace through strength through #NATO.”
