WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump hosted NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House on Thursday at a critical time in the full-force effort by the U.S. to shore up an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Despite a deep skepticism expressed by the U.S. president about the more than 75-year-old military alliance and America's role in it reigning over the visit, Trump started the pair’s Oval Office meeting by praising the NATO chief, who just took over the position in October. 

What You Need To Know

  • President Donald Trump hosted NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House on Thursday as the U.S. looks to shore up an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine
  • Reigning over the Oval Office meeting and working lunch between Trump and Rutte, the former prime minister of the Netherlands who took over the NATO chief role in October, is deep uncertainty around the U.S. president’s stance on American leadership in the more than 75 year-old military alliance
  • Nonetheless, Trump started the meeting praising the NATO head, saying he is doing a “fantastic job” and mentioning that he has been working with the U.S. over the last week toward a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine

Trump said Rutte is doing a “fantastic job” leading the alliance, adding he “got to know him very well” during his time as prime minister of the Netherlands. 

“We had a great relationship, always,” Trump added. 

He said he anticipated the day, which includes the Oval Office sit-down and a working lunch between the pair, will be “very, very strong.” 

Rutte, perhaps in a nod to the U.S. leader’s focus on the alliance’s military budgets, began his opening remarks talking about increases in defense spending among members, particularly the European Union and Germany.

“We’re not there," he said. "We need to do more, but I think we want to work to get it with you in the run-up to the next summit to make sure that we will have a NATO which is really invigorated under your leadership, and we are getting there,” he said. 

Rutte said the pair would also discuss defense production, calling on countries that make up the 32-member alliance, to produce more weaponry.  

“We are lagging behind when you compare to the Russians and the Chinese,” he said. 

While the last few years saw an expansion of NATO with two new countries joining the alliance under former President Joe Biden, Trump’s criticisms of NATO from his first stint in the White House have come back in full force in his second. 

Trump — who is vocal about his “America first” approach to foreign policy — has been particularly critical of NATO member countries not meeting the alliance’s target of spending 2% of GDP on their militaries and made clear he is not interested in defending nations that don’t. Just over a year ago he said he would encourage Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO countries that don’t pay enough. 

And in his second term, he’s ramped up his calls for more defense spending, telling nation’s to put 5% of their GDP toward it — a threshold the U.S. does not meet. 

One week ago, the American president escalated his concerns, questioning whether NATO members would come to the defense of the U.S. in the event of an attack and thus raising doubts about a key tenet of the alliance’s treaty, known as Article 5, which establishes that an armed attack on a member is an attack on all of the alliance. The guarantee has only been used once — to help the U.S. after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. 

Thursday's meeting came as the U.S. has been working to put in place a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine after what could be a major breakthrough this week. After a day of talks in Saudi Arabia, top U.S. and Ukrainian officials agreed to offer Russia a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, putting all eyes at the moment on Moscow and President Vladimir Putin. 

Trump responded to the Russian leader’s statement earlier on Thursday — which said he agrees in principle to the proposal but needs particular conditions to be met — calling it “promising” but not “complete.” 

“Now we’re going to see whether or not Russia’s there,” he added. “If they’re not, it’ll be a very disappointing moment for the world.”

He noted that one of his top foreign policy advisers, Steve Witkoff, was in Russia on Thursday and currently engaged in “very serious discussions.”

The president — whose frequent mention of his good relationship with Putin has put European and NATO allies on edge — also said he would like to personally speak with the Russian leader himself. 

“I’d love to meet with them and talk to him, but we have to get it over with fast,” Trump said of the war.

The U.S. leader also reiterated his desire to acquire Greenland, saying “I think it’ll happen,” adding that it is needed for “international security.”

Trump also said that he and Rutte would be discussing trade, as the U.S. leader embarks on a wide-scale agenda to balance deficits with partners through tariffs.