
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has stepped up to defend US President Donald Trump, commending his peace efforts in Ukraine and urging European nations to address their lagging defense spending.
Speaking at the opening of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, Rutte characterized Europe’s low defense spending as a significant irritant to Trump and other US officials, describing it as a “pebble in the shoe.” He emphasized the need for European countries to increase their defense budgets to alleviate concerns about the alliance’s future.
Rutte’s comments come ahead of a brief summit appearance by President Trump. The summit is expected to conclude on Wednesday with the establishment of new defense spending targets, a key issue given the ongoing tensions and the need for a unified and robust NATO.