Ukraine's Zelenskyy and Trump: A Shaky Alliance

Mark Rutte, the NATO chief, had a chat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He suggested that Zelenskyy should consider mending fences with U. S. President Donald Trump. This came after a heated meeting between the two leaders. The disagreement was about how to handle Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy was pushing for strong security guarantees from the Trump administration. This administration, however, seemed more interested in talking things out with Putin's Russia. The meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump didn't go well. It was described as "unfortunate" and strained the relationship between Ukraine and its main military supporter. Rutte advised Zelenskyy to find a way to work with Trump. He reminded Zelenskyy that Trump had provided crucial military aid, like Javelin anti-tank weapons. These weapons were vital in 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale attack. Without them, Ukraine might have struggled. Rutte didn't want to get into the specifics of the accusations made during the meeting. He emphasized that the U. S. is heavily invested in the NATO alliance, including its mutual-defense clause, Article 5. He called Trump a friend but didn't directly address Trump's accusations against Zelenskyy. Trump had accused Zelenskyy of risking World War III and suggested that Zelenskyy either make a deal or face the possibility of the U. S. pulling out. Rutte was confident that the U. S. wants to help Ukraine achieve a lasting peace. He stressed the importance of everyone working together— the U. S. , Ukraine, and Europe. Rutte didn't directly answer whether NATO allies could fill the gaps if the U. S. withdrew its military support. Instead, he emphasized the need for unity in achieving peace for Ukraine.