Mark Rutte backs Trump approach to end Russia Ukraine war quickly

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Fox News that his meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday reaffirmed his belief that the Trump administration was taking the right approach in attempting to end the war in Ukraine, despite the recent cancellation of the planned Trump-Putin meeting.

The meeting took place just days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the White House and focused on ways to build momentum following the peace deal in the Middle East.

“We can collectively change Vladimir Putin’s calculus,” Rutte told “Special Report”, adding that the latest secondary sanctions against India and the proposal to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine prompted the Russian leader to pick up the phone.

Rutte also cited Russia’s stagnant gains and heavy losses as the driving force in finally ending the more than three-year war.

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Rutte expressed optimism about the Trump administration’s approach amid economic distress triggered by the war in Russia, noting long lines of cars waiting for gas from a depleted source heavily targeted by Ukraine’s attacks and tied up by sanctions.

The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, after Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least six people across Ukraine.

Fox News’ chief political host Bret Baier echoed Rutte’s optimism, saying attacks had increased in Ukraine after he tried to communicate with Putin in the past. Following the Alaska summit in August, Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine.

“What do you say to critics who say these communications with Putin let him off the hook?” Baier asked.

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“We always knew it wasn’t easy…” Rutte said.

“This won’t end tomorrow or the day after tomorrow,” he added.

He noted that Trump’s close cooperation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on blocking Russia’s oil sales is another positive step, and that NATO is united to deter potential threats.

In the past six weeks, three Russian aircraft have flown over Estonian airspace and drones have crossed into Poland. Both are NATO countries.

“NATO reacted exactly as we should have,” Rutte said. “We trained and prepared for this.”

The Secretary General also made clear that if Russian aircraft pose a threat in the future, NATO will be able to shoot them down if necessary. If they do not pose a threat, they will be intercepted and diverted out of NATO airspace.

Rutte emphasized his belief that Trump will keep his promise to end murder.

“He is truly a pacifist,” Rutte said. “He wants to end this war. It’s something close to his heart.”

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He also emphasized the importance of immediately freezing the borders of the conflict and bringing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the table for a meeting.

“Stay where you are, you can discuss many other things later,” Rutte said.