Rutte Says NATO Disputes Show Democratic Strength

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said disputes between US President Donald Trump and other NATO leaders demonstrate the Alliance’s democratic strength and should serve as a lesson for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking to Reuters on Wednesday after the NATO summit in Ankara, Rutte was responding to rifts caused by Trump’s threat to cut trade ties with Spain, disagreements over Iran and his renewed claims to Greenland. The US president later reaffirmed his commitment to the Alliance, saying there was “a lot of love” and unity among its leaders.

Rutte rejected criticism that he praises Trump too much and fails to defend other allies against him. He said he saw no reason to change his communication strategy, adding that when he disagrees with leaders, he tells them so in private in order to preserve Alliance unity.

According to the NATO chief, the ability to argue openly and then unite behind a common goal is what fundamentally distinguishes Western democracies from autocratic countries such as Russia, China and Iran. He said Putin should lead more open discussions at home.

The Alliance continues to identify Russia as its greatest security threat, prompting member states to increase defense spending by hundreds of billions of dollars since the start of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

(Reuters, Max)