BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥� NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte brushed off fresh concern Tuesday about the United States鈥� commitment to on the eve of a meeting of allied foreign ministers focused on against Ukraine.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expected to miss Wednesday’s meeting, which will unfold during in Moscow and in Europe about Ukraine鈥檚 future. His rare absence at the American-led alliance comes after President Donald Trump鈥檚 to end the almost four-year war dismayed European allies and Canada last month.
At a pivotal moment in NATO鈥檚 history, European allies see Russia鈥檚 invasion as an existential threat, and senior officials have warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin might launch another attack on Europe in three to five years should he prevail in Ukraine.
At the same time, the U.S. insists that its allies must take care of security in their own backyard, and doubts about America鈥檚 NATO leadership and the alliance鈥檚 unity undermine the organization鈥檚 ability to deter an adversary such as Putin.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, Rutte underlined that Rubio has a busy schedule.
鈥淗e鈥檚 working extremely hard to take care not only of the situation of Ukraine, but of course many other issues which are on his plate,鈥� Rutte said. 鈥淪o I totally accept him not being able to be here tomorrow, and I would not read anything in it.鈥�
A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal administration reasoning for the absence, said Rubio has already attended dozens of meetings with NATO allies, “and it would be completely impractical to expect him at every meeting.鈥�
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will attend instead and press the allies to deliver on their 5% of gross domestic product on defense.
The administration鈥檚 draft plan to end the war suggested that NATO would not expand further 鈥� a longtime Russian demand 鈥� and that Ukraine would not be admitted, breaking with a yearslong promise to Kyiv that it has a place at the organization鈥檚 table.
The plan also stated that a dialogue would be held between Russia and NATO, mediated by the U.S., to resolve all security issues and create business opportunities. It was unclear how NATO鈥檚 most influential member might serve as an impartial mediator.
Rutte downplayed contentious parts of Trump鈥檚 original plan for ending the war, saying that it has been heavily reworked to address European concerns.
鈥淵ou need to start somewhere. You need to have proposals on the table,鈥� he said.
He added: 鈥淲hen it comes to the NATO elements of a deal to end the war against Ukraine, that will be dealt with separately. And that obviously will include NATO.”
Despite the proposal to rule out Ukrainian membership, the former Dutch prime minister insisted that the country remains on an 鈥渋rreversible path鈥� to join the world鈥檚 biggest security organization, as NATO leaders pledged in Washington in 2024.
But he underlined that it鈥檚 politically impossible for Ukraine to become a member, which would require the unanimous agreement of all 32 allies. The Trump administration has ruled that out, and Hungary and Slovakia are also opposed.
鈥淩ight now, as you know, there is no consensus on Ukraine joining NATO,鈥� Rutte said.
At NATO鈥檚 last summit in The Hague, Trump reassured European partners when he affirmed the U.S. 鈥� the collective security guarantee that says an attack on any ally should be considered an attack on all of them.
He as a 鈥渘ice group of people鈥� and said that 鈥渁lmost every one of them said 鈥楾hank God for the United States.鈥欌�� But several of his remarks since then seem to place the United States outside the organization it has long led.
鈥淲e鈥檙e selling a lot of weapons to NATO, and that鈥檚 going, I guess, to Ukraine for the most part,鈥� Trump said at a White House meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in October. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 up to them, but they鈥檙e buying weapons from the U.S.鈥�
Concerns are also high about a further in Europe. Romania announced in October that the United States would reduce its in the country by up to 3,000 troops as it focuses on security threats in Asia and elsewhere.
The administration is expected to announce its troop movement plans in early 2026.
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