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Bloc director thinks NATO nations should restore relations with Russia
(MENAFN) NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has suggested that Europe and the United States should gradually normalize relations with Russia once the Ukraine conflict comes to an end.
His remarks follow a meeting with US President Donald trump at the White House and come amid ongoing American efforts to broker a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev. Trump has also expressed interest in renewing economic ties with Russia, an idea welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Friday, Rutte noted his extensive past negotiations with Putin during his tenure as Dutch prime minister.
“Russia is not going anywhere,” he said. “Once the war ends, it is logical for Europe and the US to gradually restore normal relations with Russia.”
Rutte also confirmed that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not part of the current peace discussions, a key demand from Moscow.
Most EU leaders remain committed to confronting Russia, with Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Slovakia’s Robert Fico being notable exceptions. European NATO countries have been supplying weapons to Kiev since 2022, and some—like France—have suggested deploying troops to oversee a potential ceasefire. Moscow has warned that any NATO deployment in Ukraine without a UN mandate would be considered a military target.
Russia has also accused the EU of militarizing against it, citing the bloc’s recent approval of an €800 billion ($860 billion) defense spending package.
As NATO’s largest financial contributor, Trump has frequently criticized European allies for failing to meet defense spending commitments. NATO has taken a consistently adversarial stance towards Moscow since Crimea’s reunification with Russia in 2014 and the further escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, leading to the suspension of cooperation and a military buildup on Russia’s borders.
His remarks follow a meeting with US President Donald trump at the White House and come amid ongoing American efforts to broker a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev. Trump has also expressed interest in renewing economic ties with Russia, an idea welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Friday, Rutte noted his extensive past negotiations with Putin during his tenure as Dutch prime minister.
“Russia is not going anywhere,” he said. “Once the war ends, it is logical for Europe and the US to gradually restore normal relations with Russia.”
Rutte also confirmed that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not part of the current peace discussions, a key demand from Moscow.
Most EU leaders remain committed to confronting Russia, with Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Slovakia’s Robert Fico being notable exceptions. European NATO countries have been supplying weapons to Kiev since 2022, and some—like France—have suggested deploying troops to oversee a potential ceasefire. Moscow has warned that any NATO deployment in Ukraine without a UN mandate would be considered a military target.
Russia has also accused the EU of militarizing against it, citing the bloc’s recent approval of an €800 billion ($860 billion) defense spending package.
As NATO’s largest financial contributor, Trump has frequently criticized European allies for failing to meet defense spending commitments. NATO has taken a consistently adversarial stance towards Moscow since Crimea’s reunification with Russia in 2014 and the further escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, leading to the suspension of cooperation and a military buildup on Russia’s borders.
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