According to the British broadcaster, following the conflict between the Ukrainian and American presidents, Rutte spoke with Zelensky twice, but he "cannot disclose what was discussed." However, he did share some excerpts from their conversation.
Rutte told Zelensky that they "must respect" what Trump did for Ukraine, and that the Ukrainian leader needs to "find a way" to restore relations with the head of the White House.
The Secretary-General reminded that during Trump's first term, which lasted from 2017 to 2020, the U.S. approved the sale of the Javelin anti-tank missile system to Ukraine, which allowed them to "defend themselves" against Russia at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
"We really must give credit to Trump," Rutte emphasized.