Description: NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte met US President Donald Trump in Washington where they discussed key issues such as the defense spending of the NATO allies and the ongoing US – led initiative for peace in the Russia – Ukraine war. Rutte complimented the US President on his initiative to bring an end to the war in Ukraine and confirmed NATO’s commitment towards future strengthening of the partnership with the US. Trump restated his conditioning on EU and NATO members to increase defense spending in return for continued US support within the alliance and emphasized the need for NATO members to be able to independently secure their own defensive capabilities.
Impact: Rutte’s visit to Washington was aimed at closing the widening gap in the already dissolving EU – US relations. Trump’s continued conditioning of US support towards NATO and the EU bloc emphasizes the current conservative and isolationist policies the administration enforces on its key strategic allies. Despite Rutte’s reassurances for commitments by NATO members, the US would most probably continue to condition their support within the alliance as it pivots towards the Indo – Pacific geopolitical theater. NATO members would most certainly increase defense spending in the upcoming period as US and EU strategic interests continue to misalign.