Nato spending pledge is Trump's biggest foreign policy success, Rutte tells BBC

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 3 min read 100% complete December 17, 2025 at 04:25 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told the BBC that Donald Trump's pressure on NATO members to increase defense spending to 5% of their economic output is his "biggest foreign policy success," strengthening the alliance. Rutte's comments come amid warnings that Russia could attack NATO allies within five years, though Putin dismissed these concerns as "nonsense." Putin reiterated that Russia's goals in Ukraine would be achieved, preferably through diplomacy, but by military means if necessary. Rutte also criticized Putin's pursuit of regaining access to Ukraine, which has resulted in significant casualties. He praised Trump's efforts to find an end to the war, including US envoys negotiating a peace plan that involves ceding territory to Russia and providing security guarantees to Ukraine.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Mark Rutte 70% Donald Trump ×480% Vladimir Putin ×280% Ukraine ×280% Nato ×390%

Keywords

nato spending pledge 90% donald trump 80% russia 70% foreign policy 70% ukraine 70% collective defence 60% vladimir putin 60% military operation 50% peace plan 50% security guarantees 40%