Speaking later to Fox News, Rutte stressed that the talks focused on security guarantees for Kyiv rather than territorial questions or NATO membership. The politician noted that both Donald Trump and other leaders agreed any decisions on territory must rest with Ukraine itself, in negotiations with Vladimir Putin and, ultimately, with Washington.
Rutte underlined that NATO membership for Ukraine was not on the table, even though the alliance’s official position remains that Kyiv has an “irreversible path” towards joining. Instead, discussions centred on possible “Article 5-style” assurances - commitments designed to deter future Russian aggression - though the details have yet to be defined, as reported by Reuters.
The NATO chief also suggested further sanctions on Russia and its trading partners were under consideration. Following new tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil, he indicated that China could be the next target.
The White House meeting brought together President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
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Source: IAR/Reuters/X/@FoxNews