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Mark Rutte commends U.S. President Trump for catalyzing major increases in European defence spending and advancing diplomacy in Ukraine
In a significant meeting at the White House, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised President Donald Trump for his decisive role in driving historic increases in European defence spending, marking a transformative period for NATO. Highlighting the Alliance’s strengthened financial commitments, Rutte noted that European NATO members have collectively increased defence budgets by approximately 700 billion euros since Trump’s initial presidency (2016–2017), with recent announcements pushing that figure even higher.
“The developments of recent weeks are truly staggering,” Secretary General Rutte stated, referring to an unprecedented additional commitment by European allies to invest 800 billion euros in defence capabilities. This figure includes Germany’s remarkable proposal to allocate nearly half a trillion euros to modernize its armed forces and the significant increases announced by the UK under Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
During his meeting at the White House on March 13, 2025, Rutte emphasized the urgent necessity to accelerate and expand defence production, calling for closer transatlantic cooperation to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles: “We must produce more weaponry—we are not doing enough. Neither in Europe nor the U.S. Current production capacities simply cannot match the ambitions we have set. It’s essential we cut through the red tape and strengthen our shared defence-industrial capabilities.”
Rutte also praised President Trump’s role in breaking the diplomatic deadlock in Ukraine, initiating direct dialogue with Russia, and facilitating meaningful peace negotiations. Highlighting Trump’s decisive role in recent talks hosted in Saudi Arabia, Rutte stated:
“You broke the deadlock. Your initiative started dialogues that have the potential to end the killing, destruction, and suffering in Ukraine. Your leadership has set the stage for significant diplomatic breakthroughs.”
Looking forward, the Secretary General invited President Trump to continue this positive momentum at the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, expressing his goal for a reinvigorated Alliance prepared for contemporary geopolitical challenges.
“We are building a stronger NATO under your renewed leadership,” Rutte concluded. “Let’s make The Hague Summit a defining moment, reinforcing NATO’s strategic relevance and unity for decades to come.”
Edited: Kateřina Urbanova
Photo Credit: NATO