NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has urged Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to repair his strained relationship with US President Donald Trump following a tense confrontation at the White House.
The meeting, which took place on Friday, was originally intended to finalize a minerals agreement but quickly escalated into a heated exchange. According to Rutte, who described the encounter as “unfortunate” in an interview with the BBC on Saturday, the fallout could impact Ukraine’s standing with its key Western ally.
Zelensky pressed Trump for increased US support for Kiev, arguing against Washington’s role as a neutral mediator with Moscow. Trump, in turn, criticized Zelensky for what he perceived as a lack of gratitude for American aid and an unwillingness to seek a diplomatic resolution to the conflict with Russia. The discussion became so contentious that Trump reportedly dismissed Zelensky from the White House, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio later calling the meeting a “fiasco.” Trump allegedly told Zelensky to return only when he was “ready to pursue peace.”
Rutte, who spoke with Zelensky after the meeting, stressed the need for Ukraine to maintain strong ties with the US. “I said: I think you have to find a way, dear Vladimir, to restore your relationship with Donald Trump and the American administration. That is important going forward,” Rutte stated.
He also reminded Zelensky of the significant support the US has provided, particularly the supply of Javelin anti-tank weapons in 2019, which played a crucial role in Ukraine’s defense efforts when the war escalated in 2022. “Without the Javelins, Ukraine would have been nowhere,” Rutte noted.
The NATO chief emphasized that despite political disagreements, the US remains Ukraine’s largest donor, having provided $65.9 billion in military aid since 2022, according to a US Department of State update on January 20, 2025. “We really have to give Trump credit for what he did then, what America did since then, and also what America is still doing,” he said.
The Trump-Zelensky exchange has sparked mixed reactions on the international stage. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, while Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban backed Trump’s position, commending his peace efforts. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova characterized the meeting as a “complete political and diplomatic failure” on Ukraine’s part.
The fallout from the confrontation has raised concerns about the future of US-Ukraine relations and the potential shift in Washington’s support for Kiev’s war efforts.
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Reporting by Naija247news in Lagos, Nigeria.
