NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte met with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday to discuss pressing global security challenges, according to a statement from NATO spokeswoman Farah Dakhlallah.
The talks focused on the security concerns currently facing the NATO alliance.
Rutte, who is the former prime minister of the Netherlands, had expressed interest in meeting with Trump shortly after his re-election on November 5 to address growing international tensions, particularly the strengthening ties between North Korea and Russia.
During his first term, Trump had been vocal in urging European allies to increase their defense spending and questioned the commitment of the U.S. to NATO.
His return to the presidency has raised concerns among European leaders, particularly over the future of U.S. military support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
NATO members see continued support for Ukraine as vital to both European and U.S. security.
At a recent European leaders’ summit in Budapest, Rutte highlighted the increasing cooperation between Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China, warning that this alliance posed significant security threats to both the U.S. and Europe.
He pointed out that Russia was supplying technology to North Korea, which he argued could jeopardize security on both the U.S. mainland and in continental Europe.
Rutte expressed optimism about his meeting with Trump, noting that the discussions would focus on how NATO can address these emerging threats in a unified manner.
