NATO chief Rutte: Zelensky must restore relations with Trump

Ukrainian President Zelensky must ensure that relations with the American president are quickly restored. That is what NATO chief Rutte says after the fierce clash yesterday between Zelensky and Trump in the White House.

Rutte calls the confrontation in the Oval Office 'unfortunate': "I don't think Trump was looking for a fight." According to Rutte, Zelensky and Trump first had a good conversation for half an hour. Then, according to Rutte, "something went wrong", after which they flew "full at each other".

The NATO chief says he has been in contact with the Ukrainian president: "What I told Zelensky is that we have to respect what Trump has done so far." According to Rutte, Zelensky must now "find a way to restore relations with Trump."

Rutte says he is convinced that Trump also wants "lasting peace" in Ukraine. "What is needed for that is that we all work together: Europe, Ukraine and the United States."

'US remains committed to NATO'
Rutte further emphasized that the United States is the leader within NATO. The NATO chief says he spoke to Trump on the phone for half an hour on Thursday and he is convinced that the American president is committed to the military alliance. According to Rutte, the US is "totally" committed to NATO, "also with regard to Article 5". That article states that an attack on one of the NATO countries is seen as an attack on all allies.