NATO chief says Zelenskyy must mend ties with Trump

LONDON/ISTANBUL

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Saturday said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should “find a way” to mend relations with US President Donald Trump.

In an interview with the BBC, Rutte said he had spoken twice over the phone with Zelenskyy following a heated exchange between him and US President Donald Trump at the White House.

Noting that he also spoke with Trump over the phone, Rutte said that he was not authorized to say what was discussed in the talks.

The NATO chief said that he told Zelenskyy that “what Trump has done for Ukraine so far should be respected.”

Rutte said the previous day's spat between Trump and Zelenskyy was “unfortunate” and that they needed to repair their relationship.

“It is important that President Zelenskyy finds a way to restore his relationship with the American President and with the senior American leadership team,” Rutte said.

He said he raised this issue in telephone conversations with Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Rutte also recalled that during Trump's first presidency, the US approved the sale of the Javelin anti-tank missile system, which enabled Ukraine to respond to Russia.