Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized on Wednesday that he believes only US President Donald Trump can broker peace between Moscow and Kyiv, downplaying concerns about tensions between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Rutte, in Washington to meet lawmakers on Capitol Hill before a scheduled White House discussion, described last week’s Trump-Zelenskyy meeting as “successful,” despite reports of a tense encounter.
Rutte clarified that his visit was planned before the Trump-Zelenskyy talks and was intended to explore how to advance the president’s vision for peace in Ukraine. He expressed “total confidence” in Trump’s ability to mediate, noting that the US president must engage with both Putin and Zelenskyy to achieve a resolution. “Trump’s leadership here is crucial. He is clearly providing it, and he has to dialogue with all the leaders,” Rutte said.
During the press briefing, Republican Senator Thom Tillis discussed ongoing deliberations over providing long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Tillis highlighted their strategic value, noting that their reach and capabilities could offer both tactical and broader advantages for Kyiv. Although Trump met Zelenskyy last Friday, no agreement on Tomahawks or other advanced weaponry was announced, with a senior Ukrainian official describing the session as “tense” and the diplomatic process as “dragged out” and going “in circles.”
Plans for a Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest were reportedly shelved, with the president stating he did not want a “wasted” meeting. White House officials confirmed there are currently no immediate plans for such a summit. Despite relying on personal rapport with Putin to advance peace negotiations, Trump has faced repeated frustrations in efforts to secure a deal, underscoring the complexity of achieving a resolution to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
