Harald Schmidt reveals that Mark Rutte, the Dutch Prime Minister, has a Donald Trump poster hanging above his bed. - Rutte displays Trump posters on his sleeping quarters.
In the lead-up to a scheduled summit, Mark Rutte, the current NATO Secretary General, has shared his stance on US-Russia relations, particularly regarding Ukraine. In an interview with US broadcaster ABC, Rutte emphasized the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine, while continuing to support Ukraine militarily and diplomatically under President Trump's leadership.
Rutte highlighted recent actions, such as new tariffs on Indian purchases of Russian oil and increased delivery of lethal weapons to Ukraine, coordinated through NATO, as critical tools to sustain Ukraine’s defense and pressure Russia. He sees the upcoming talks as a test of Putin’s seriousness about peace, but stresses Ukraine’s necessary involvement in negotiations after credible conditions for talks are established.
In the interview, Rutte acknowledged that Ukraine might initially be excluded from ceasefire talks if conditions for genuine negotiations are not met, but he firmly states Ukraine must be involved in discussions on peace, territory, and security guarantees. He cited the decades-long Soviet occupation of the Baltic states as an example, expressing confidence in the transatlantic coalition supporting Ukraine and seeing cooperation between European countries and the US as vital.
It is important to note that these comments are not official statements from the NATO or the Dutch government, and they were not made by Harald Schmidt, who is a Swabia-born entertainer and former TV host. Harald Schmidt, in a separate conversation with the German Press Agency, expressed his opinion that Rutte seems uncomfortable when sitting on golden chairs in the White House, but this point is not mentioned in Rutte's interview.
Moreover, Harald Schmidt suggested a controversial idea that Rutte might be advocating for Ukraine to look towards the Baltic states during the Soviet occupation as a model, but there is no evidence to support this claim. Additionally, Harald Schmidt speculated that there might be celebration in the Kremlin every morning due to Rutte's statements, but no such celebrations have been reported.
In conclusion, Rutte's comments underscore a firm commitment to supporting Ukraine and maintaining pressure on Russia, while emphasizing the importance of Ukraine's involvement in negotiations. These positions align with Ukraine’s own statements on the need for a broad coalition and strong sanctions if Russia resists diplomacy. The upcoming summit between Rutte and the unspecified location promises to be a significant event in the ongoing US-Russia relations, particularly concerning Ukraine.
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