NATO secretary general urges Zelensky to rebuild relationship with Trump: 'US deserves respect for its support'

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky to rebuild his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, following their tense meeting at the White House.

Rutte revealed that he has spoken twice with the Ukrainian leader since the meeting and, although he avoided giving details, he explained that it's "important that President Zelensky finds a way to restore his relationship with the American President and with the senior American leadership team."

A meeting marked by tension

The meeting between Trump and Zelensky became uncomfortable when, in front of journalists, the Ukrainian leader insisted on the need for security guarantees in order to reach a peace agreement.

Speaking to the BBC, Rutte called the episode "unfortunate" and insisted that it was necessary to "give Trump credit" for supplying weapons to Ukraine during his first term, stressing that the United States deserves "respect" for its backing and pivotal role in global security.

Following the controversy, Zelensky appeared on Fox News in an attempt to dispel any misunderstanding with Trump. "We are very close partners. I think this kind of spat is not good for both sides," he said. However, when asked if he should apologize, he replied, "No, I respect the president, and I respect the American people, and I think that we have to be very open and very honest, and I’m not sure that we did something bad."

For his part, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that Zelensky should apologize for what happened and questioned his commitment to peace. Despite the tension, the Ukrainian leader was optimistic about the future of the bilateral relationship. "it's more than to the president. It's a historical relation between our people," he concluded.