5:31NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte appears on “This Week” on Aug. 10, 2025.ABC News
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated that the upcoming summit on Friday between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska will serve as a critical evaluation of efforts to conclude the conflict in Ukraine.
"Next Friday holds significance because it will test Putin’s commitment to ending this dreadful war," Rutte conveyed to ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl.
"In terms of comprehensive negotiations, let’s hope that Friday marks a vital advancement in that direction. … It will involve discussions about territory, certainly about security assurances, but also the undeniable necessity to recognize that Ukraine must determine its own future, that Ukraine should be a sovereign nation, making independent decisions regarding its geopolitical direction — and naturally, with no restrictions on its military forces. Moreover, NATO should have no constraints on our presence along the eastern flank," Rutte emphasized.
"The president is eager to put an end to this. He wishes to halt the tragic loss of life," Rutte remarked.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte appears on “This Week” on Aug. 10, 2025.ABC News
The NATO leader also recognized the fact that Russia currently occupies portions of Ukraine’s territory that existed before the war.
"The key question will be how to proceed beyond a ceasefire, particularly regarding what that entails in terms of security assurances for Ukraine," he noted.
He elaborated, "In discussing territory, when it comes to recognizing, for instance, in a potential future agreement that Russia is effectively in control of certain Ukrainian territories, it needs to be a substantive acknowledgment, rather than merely a political de jure recognition."
Recently, Trump has proposed the idea of “some land exchanges” as part of a prospective peace agreement. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the notion of conceding any Ukrainian land, especially in the eastern Donbas area, to facilitate a ceasefire, insisting that Kyiv must be involved in the discussions. Numerous European countries likewise assert that peace negotiations should not occur without Ukraine’s participation.
While Rutte expressed admiration for the president regarding this forthcoming meeting, former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, who also appeared on "This Week," criticized Trump’s method of engaging with Putin.
"I believe Trump has already made some missteps, firstly by hosting this meeting on American territory, thereby legitimizing a pariah leader of a rogue state. Secondly, he has allowed Putin to gain an initial advantage by presenting his peace plan first," Bolton remarked.
Bolton continued, "What Putin desires more than anything is the chance for a one-on-one interaction to try and rekindle his influence with Trump, utilizing his KGB training. Whether intentionally or not, he has pushed Trump further than Trump intended to go. And you witnessed the response. What Putin seeks to regain, he is less concerned about sanctions; he aims to restore his relationship with Trump. We shall see if he achieves that."
Here are additional highlights from Rutte's interview:
On whether there are risks of rewarding Russia with summit
Karl: My next guest, Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton, indicates that this meeting occurs at a highly precarious moment for Ukraine, and he fears that negotiations may be shifting in Russia's favor. Is there a danger that any agreements made here might reward Russia for its incursion into Ukraine?
Rutte: No, I don't perceive that risk. With all due respect to John, please send him my warm regards. However, I do not concur with him on this matter. We have witnessed President Trump exerting tremendous pressure on Russia. Just last week, the additional 25% tariffs imposed on India, given that India is among the largest purchasers of oil and other resources from Russia, had a
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