New NATO Chief Rutte Expresses Strong Support for Ukraine, Unconcerned About US Vote

By Andrew Gray and Lili Bayer

BRUSSELS – NATO’s new secretary general, Mark Rutte, expressed strong support for Ukraine on Tuesday and stated that he is not concerned about the upcoming U.S. presidential election, emphasizing his ability to work with either candidate.

Rutte, who assumed leadership from Jens Stoltenberg just weeks before the U.S. elections featuring Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump—who has been critical of NATO—made his remarks at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Trump has refrained from stating whether he supports Ukraine in its conflict against Russia’s invasion. Rutte highlighted Ukraine’s need to prevail as a "sovereign, independent, democratic nation."

The ongoing war in Ukraine has thrust NATO, established in 1949 to deter Soviet attacks on Western Europe, back into the spotlight of international affairs. Rutte minimized concerns about the implications of the U.S. vote on NATO, saying, "I’m not worried. I know both candidates very well."

He noted his previous collaboration with Trump, mentioning that Trump had urged NATO allies to increase defense spending, resulting in significantly higher expenditures since his tenure began. Rutte also praised Kamala Harris, calling her a highly respected leader with an impressive record as vice president, and expressed confidence in his ability to work effectively with both candidates.

NATO officials and diplomats anticipate that Rutte will continue Stoltenberg’s focus on providing support for Ukraine, encouraging increased defense spending among member nations, and ensuring continued U.S. engagement in European security.

Stoltenberg stepped down after a challenging decade marked primarily by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This conflict prompted Sweden and Finland to abandon their long-held policies of non-alignment and join NATO, benefiting from its collective defense agreement.

The war has also led NATO to deploy additional troops to its eastern borders and significantly revise its defense strategies to address the potential for an attack from Moscow more seriously than since the Cold War’s conclusion. While Western leaders assert that NATO functions as a defensive alliance, Russia has long regarded it as a threat to its national security.

One of Rutte’s main challenges will be encouraging NATO members to contribute the necessary troops, weapons, and funding to fully implement the new defense strategies, according to diplomats and analysts.

"We need to do more in terms of our collective defense and deterrence," he emphasized. "We have to invest more, close capability gaps, and achieve the targets NATO has set."

Given that decisions within the alliance are made by consensus, a significant part of the secretary general’s role involves fostering compromises among member nations.