NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated that the decision to proceed with arms sales sends a clear message to Vladimir Putin about the unity between the United States and Europe, emphasizing that they will “do everything necessary for Ukraine.”
Rutte made these comments in a Fox News interview on Monday, following his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, as reported by Ukrinform.
“If I were in the Kremlin today, I wouldn’t be very happy because this is a clear signal that President Trump is serious. He wants peace. He hates the fact that so many people are losing their lives in Ukraine,” Rutte said.
He stressed that the White House’s decision to sell weapons to NATO countries for distribution to Ukraine was a “significant” moment for Europe amidst stalled peace negotiations to end Russia’s war.
Rutte informed reporters after his July 14 meeting with Trump in Washington that an agreement on arms support for Ukraine had been reached. Rutte also commended Trump’s efforts to break the communication deadlock with Putin and give the Kremlin leader a chance to demonstrate seriousness regarding a resolution to the war in Ukraine.
