The head of NATO has stated that Russia must expedite efforts to conclude the war in Ukraine, noting that the U.S. has indicated Moscow needs to “do more.”
“The responsibility clearly lies with the Russians,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte mentioned in an interview set to air on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” this Sunday. “In my view, they are not progressing quickly enough — a sentiment echoed by my American counterparts, who feel Russia needs to intensify its efforts to terminate this conflict.”
Speaking with Brennan on Friday, Rutte emphasized that the U.S. and its NATO allies are united in their approach to countering Russia and are collaborating to achieve a resolution to the war in Ukraine and Russian hostilities.
He praised the White House’s commitment to seeking a solution to “break the deadlock” in Ukraine, where Russia’s ongoing invasion, ongoing since 2022, has led to massive casualties and widespread destruction of cities and towns.
“I have discussed this with Marco Rubio, and I maintain regular communication with other members of the U.S. administration. I believe you are genuinely striving, incrementally, to reach a situation where this war can conclude,” Rutte remarked, while raising concerns about Russia’s dedication to the negotiation process.
“The Russians need to engage as well, yet at this moment they appear unprepared to do so,” Rutte stated, whereas the Ukrainians “are quite aligned with the U.S. perspective.”
Russia has not yet committed to a complete 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S., citing the need to resolve several outstanding issues first.
Rubio, who is participating in a NATO conference in Brussels, told the media on Friday, “We will soon see from their responses whether they are truly interested in pursuing real peace or if they are merely employing delay tactics. We have now reached a critical point where progress is essential.”
Rutte noted that the peace process began to gain momentum when President Trump took office, telling Brennan that “nothing was achieved regarding the termination of this war until January of this year.”
The parties involved, along with the U.S., are currently working to finalize the terms of a partial ceasefire.
NATO and Trump’s tariffs
Rutte expressed confidence that Mr. Trump’s global tariffs, which adversely affected Europe and several allies, will not undermine the military alliance.
“I’m not denying it has an effect on individual allies, but it does not influence the alliance as a whole,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated in an interview recorded on Friday with “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
He asserted that he is “firmly convinced” a potential trade conflict will not impact Europe’s defense expenditures or commitment to NATO.
Mr. Trump often criticized NATO nations for investing less than 2% of their GDP on defense, and during his second term, he advocated for members to increase their defense spending to 5%.
Rutte contended on Friday that European nations are already increasing their defense budgets.
“It’s astounding the billions being allocated for defense now. When you compare this with the spending during the Cold War, the scale of defense expenditures is impressive,” Rutte commented.
Nuclear deterrence
When pressed by Brennan regarding the remarks made by leaders from Germany, Poland, and France about broadening a Western European nuclear umbrella—beyond the protection currently offered by the U.S. and the U.K.—Rutte expressed confidence in the U.S.’ nuclear security guarantee.
“This week, Marco Rubio reiterated what President Trump has previously stated three times on television: that the U.S. is fully committed to NATO and to Article 5,” Rutte remarked. “This includes the U.S. serving as the ultimate guarantor, through nuclear deterrence, for NATO territory, and especially for the European segment of NATO.” Article 5 stipulates that an attack on one NATO member is treated as an attack on all members.
Rutte emphasized that the Trump administration has always remained “consistent” in affirming its commitment to the alliance.
“I encourage my European colleagues to turn on the television and pay attention to the senior American leaders when discussing NATO,” Rutte advised. “Instead of constantly worrying about whether the U.S. is still committed to NATO, the answer has consistently been yes, as reiterated by the American leadership over the past three months.”
