NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is urging the Ukrainian leader to repair his relationship with the US President Donald Trump following a heated exchange at the White House.
Rutte’s plea come after the two leaders had a falling out in Washington, putting serious strain on ties between Kiev and its biggest donor.
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He said he had advised Zelenky to finds a way to restore his relationship with the American President and with the senior American leadership team and added that “he really had to respect what President Trump has done so far for Ukraine.”
RT reports: The meeting between Trump and Zelensky on Friday, which Rutte described as “unfortunate” in an interview with the BBC on Saturday, was originally set up to finalize a minerals agreement. It escalated into a tense exchange.
The Ukrainian leader maintained that Washington should increase its support for Kiev rather than position itself as a neutral mediator with Moscow. Trump criticized Zelensky for what he perceived as a lack of gratitude for American assistance and an unwillingness to make concessions to resolve the conflict with Russia.
The confrontation led to the day’s events being cut short, with the US president reportedly dismissing his guest from the White House. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the encounter as a “fiasco,” with Trump telling Zelensky to return when he was “ready to pursue peace.”
“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 said, referring to a call he had with Zelensky on Friday.
He reminded Zelensky of the support provided by the Trump administration, particularly the provision of Javelin anti-tank weapons in 2019, which were crucial in Ukraine’s defense when the conflict escalated in 2022. Without the Javelins, “Ukraine would have been nowhere,” Rutte stated.
The NATO chief emphasized the importance of acknowledging the assistance from the US, which remains Kiev’s biggest donor. The US has provided $65.9 billion in military aid since 2022, according to a US Department of State posting 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,” Rutte said.