Following his meeting in London with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Chief Rutte allays concerns regarding Donald Trump’s potential reelection to the White House.
Mark Rutte, the head of NATO, told allies not to worry about Donald Trump possibly winning back the White House because he knew what was at risk in the conflict in Ukraine.
Rutte, a former prime minister of the Netherlands and ardent friend of Ukraine who assumed leadership of the Atlantic alliance earlier this month, was in London for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“I am confident that he fully comprehends and concurs with me that the conflict in Ukraine is not just about Ukraine but also about the security and well-being of the United States in the future. After the meeting on Thursday, Rutte remarked of Trump, “He knows this.”
“So, really, stop worrying about a Trump presidency.”
“I’m not concerned.”
Some NATO countries worry that if the aid-sceptic Republican wins the presidency on November 5, the US will be less committed to European security and will no longer provide military help for Ukraine.
Throughout the campaign trail, Trump has pledged to strike a speedy agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict and threatened to withhold protection from NATO allies that do not invest enough in defense.
When Rutte assumed the position of NATO secretary general, he had already allayed concerns about a potential Trump victory.
“I’m not concerned. Both candidates are well known to me. I worked with Donald Trump for four years,” Rutte stated at the time, alluding to worries about the potential effects of the US election on the alliance.
