Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Europe should stop complaining about former US President Trump. The picture shows that on October 21, 2021, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte arrived in Brussels to attend the European Council Summit. (Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga Mag/AFP/Getty Images)
[TheEpochTimesFebruary192024](Epoch Times reporter Li Xin compiled and reported) Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is the popular candidate to be the next NATO Secretary-General. He said on Saturday (February 17), Europe should stop complaining about former US President Trump and focus on what it can do for Ukraine.
Trump sparked anger in Europe by saying he would not protect NATO allies who do not provide adequate assessed funding for NATO defense if he is re-elected in November.
“We should stop whining, complaining and nagging about Trump,” Rutte told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
“It’s up to the American people. I’m not an American, I can’t vote in America. We have to work with whoever is on the dance floor,” he added.
He said that Europe should increase defense spending and strengthen ammunition production no matter what, not just because Trump may make a comeback.
Rutte, currently the caretaker prime minister of the Netherlands, also said that Europe needs to increase its support for Ukraine because it is in Europe’s interest.
Rutte, who unexpectedly announced his retirement from politics last July, has said he does not know whether he is seen as a favorite to lead NATO and will not launch a personal campaign.
“And all those complaints and gripes about Trump. I’ve been hearing that over the past few days. Let’s stop doing that,” Rutte said, adding that after speaking with U.S. politicians in Munich, he was He is “cautiously optimistic” that the stalled U.S. military aid package will eventually be passed.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has held this post since 2014 and will step down in October 2024.
In July, his term was extended for a fourth time as Nato’s 31 members chose to stick with the experienced leader rather than try to agree on his successor as Russia lets war in Ukraine rage on NATO’s doorstep consistent.
Before Nato decided to keep Stoltenberg, diplomats said Rutte was a strong candidate to succeed him, but the Dutch insisted he was not available to take over at that time.
(This article is based on a Reuters report)
Editor in charge: Ye Ziwei#
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2024-02-19 04:19:53