Press conference

Good afternoon, 

And it has been a very busy 24 hours. A lot has happened. And it was very good to be able to consult among NATO Allies and Ukraine here at NATO. 

Let me begin by expressing my shock and sadness at the news coming out of Munich, where many people have been injured in what appears to have been a deliberate attack. We stand in solidarity with our Ally Germany and our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.

Here at NATO, I was glad to welcome the new US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth to NATO for the first time.

Secretary Hegseth came with a clear message. Of America’s enduring commitment to a strong NATO Alliance. And of America’s clear expectations for all Allies to carry their fair share of the burden.

We also discussed the situation in Ukraine, together with Minister Umerov. All Allies and Ukraine are united in their desire for peace in Ukraine. We all agree that we need to put Ukraine in the best possible position for negotiations. And we need a durable a lasting peace, not a Minsk three. We cannot allow President Putin to win. 

So, we had an excellent set of discussions focused on the urgent work ahead.

When it comes to keeping our deterrence and defence strong, we endorsed robust defence plans drawn up by Supreme Allied Commander, General Cavoli, to protect our one billion people.

To ensure we are fully ready to execute these plans also in the future, we need more military capabilities, and for that we need significantly more defence spending. 

So there is no time to waste. Our continued freedom and prosperity depend on it.

Defence spending is already growing.

Since 2014, European Allies and Canada have added more than 700 billion additional US dollars for defence. 

In 2024, NATO Allies in Europe and Canada invested 485 billion US dollars in defence, a 20% increase compared with 2023.

With a full two-thirds of Allies spending at least 2% of their GDP on defence. 

But we need to do more, much more. And we need to do it faster. 

It is clear from our discussions today that Allies recognise the need to invest much more. Several announced large increases in spending in today’s meeting. And I expect many Ministers to return home from today’s meeting with an even greater sense of urgency.

We also discussed the need to ramp up defence production as we ramp up defence spending. Our industry must be able to produce what our extra money allows us to procure.

We have already seen a significant increase in defence production across the Alliance in recent years. We are producing more and faster than at any time in decades. 

But we can and must do more.

To ensure the credibility of our deterrence and defence for years to come, we need to shift to a wartime mindset.
And we need industry to shift with us.

Industry has taken steps to improve production capacity, but they can do better. The demand signals are clear – and they’ll continue to grow.

Today, we agreed an updated action plan to rebuild a strong defence industry on both sides of the Atlantic.

A robust defence industry will make the Alliance stronger and create more jobs in Europe and North America. 
Allies also met with Ukraine in the NATO-Ukraine Council, and were joined by the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.
Defence Minister Umerov briefed Allies on the latest developments on the ground. 

And Allies took note of President Trump’s initiative for peace talks. Which Secretary Hegseth had already outlined in our consultations within the UDCG yesterday afternoon. We discussed the importance of our continued support to Ukraine. Which is crucial so that this brutal war of aggression can come to a just and lasting end. And we discussed the need for European Allies and Canada to do even more. 

In 2024, NATO Allies provided over 50 billion euros in security assistance to Ukraine – nearly 60% of this coming from Europe and Canada. This is well above the 40 billion that we had pledged for the year.

The newly established NATO Command in Wiesbaden, Germany, is at the forefront of coordinating these contributions.  This Command is now operational and is doing important work.

And Allies announced new military support packages yesterday and today. This will help Ukraine in its fight today and to build up Ukraine’s armed forces in the long-term.

All of this sends a clear signal that Europe and Canada are taking on a greater proportion of the transatlantic burden-sharing.

So we had an honest and forthright discussion among ourselves, and with Ukraine. And we are coming out our meetings over the past 24 hours with a clear sense of purpose, commitment, and urgency.

With that, I am ready to take your questions.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right, we will start with SKY News.

Deborah Haynes, SKY News
Thank you. Deborah Haynes from SKY News. Good afternoon. Are all NATO Allies united behind Ukraine in this, what President Zelenskyy has said, this belief that no negation on ending the war can take place without Ukraine at the table? And are Allies united in that Ukraine cannot be forced into an agreement unless it actually accepts the conditions?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
What we are clearly United about is that, first of all, we have to make sure that when talk starts, Ukraine is in the best possible position. And obviously this is about Ukraine, so Ukraine will be involved in any way whatsoever. And at the same time, we are also in total agreement that an outcome has to be durable, as Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of Defence said yesterday, we cannot have a Minsk 3 again. So whenever the outcome is there, we have to make sure that Putin will not try to grab another square mile, kilometer, of Ukraine.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right, we'll go to Reuters.

Lili Bayer, Reuters
Thank you very much. Secretary General, you have said repeatedly that Ukraine needs to be put in a position of strength before talks could start. But President Trump has said that talks are starting immediately. So does that mean that Ukraine is now starting negotiations from a position of weakness?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
No, and I do not completely agree with you, because what will happen, of course, if talk starts, they will not end on day one, or day two. So there is, let's say, a path there where we have to make sure that talks are successful, and it is important that we get to a peace deal, and at the same time to make sure that Putin understands that the West is united, that Ukraine is getting all the support it needs to prevail. That is very important, but also that he understands that we will only conclude those talks when we are absolutely assured that the outcome can be sustained, that the outcome is enduring, is lasting.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right. RBC-Ukraine.

Milan Lelich, RBC-Ukraine
Milan Lelich, RBC-Ukraine news agency. Secretary General, do you believe that Vladimir Putin really wants to end the war now, as President Trump said it yesterday? Thank you.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well, I don't know what is exactly in President Putin's minds, of course, neither can you. I have had many meetings with him, between 2010 and 2014 in my previous role. And he is a strong negotiator. He is very unpredictable, but in the end, if we want to get to a peace deal, we need him there, because he was the one starting this war of aggression against your country. So we have to make sure that we navigate those talks in a way that the outcome is such that it is clear to the whole world that there is a strong deal, that also the Indo-Pacific countries like China, but also a country like North Korea, and even in the Middle East, Iran, know that it is the West which is prevailing.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
BBC, in the center.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Your voice is so commanding you don't need it.

Jonathan Beale, BBC
Jonathan Beale, BBC. Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, said it was regrettable that the Trump administration had made concessions before negotiations had begun. Similar message from the EU Foreign Policy chief Kaja Kallas, not a good idea. Would you agree with them?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well I'm not in a position to comment on everything everybody is saying, but I would not be surprised about President Trump's views on this. He has been clear during the election campaign, and we knew for a couple of days that talks were imminent, at least, that a phone call with President Putin was imminent, and that phone call took place yesterday. And now we have to make sure, collectively, that we do everything to make sure that we get to a lasting outcome of those talks.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right, Moscow Times, please.

Petr Kozlov, Moscow Times
Thank you, Secretary General, many experts say that after yesterday's President Trump's speech, that the agreement, if it might be assigned, the peace agreement. If it might be signed in the way, in the tone which was articulated, by the Washington, will make Moscow and President Putin stronger, and it will, it might lead to President Putin decision that he can challenge some other countries. If yes, do you agree with this and who he might challenge or attack? As experts say.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well, I have not seen the outcome of peace negotiations, they have not even started. What I know is that all Allies here today, and I know that the White House thinks the same, are of the opinion that we have to make sure, yes, that there is peace in Ukraine. That we end this awful situation, this war of aggression, where hundreds of thousands of people have now been dead or seriously injured on both sides of the border, and it is really horrible.

So, we want to end this. But of course, we have to make sure that you conduct those talks in a way where the outcome is such, that it will not be seen as a loss to the West, one. And, two, that we make sure that the outcome is seen as enduring, that it will not be challenged again, like we have seen after Crimea and after the Minsk accords in 2014, where immediately, and basically moving forward to 2015 and 2016, Putin started to challenge the outcome of these agreements.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
Bloomberg, behind the cameras.

Andrea Palasciano, Bloomberg
Secretary General, this is Andrea Palasciano from Bloomberg. President Trump has said that negotiations are effectively starting. Europeans are not in the conversation right now. They're not at the table. What can European Allies, European NATO Allies, do to get back in the conversation, and what exactly can they offer? What can they put on the table to be included in these discussions?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Clearly, we are intensely consulting amongst each other, including with the United States. I will be myself in Munich tomorrow, meeting with Vice President Vance, Kellogg, the Special Representative for Ukraine, Special Representative for President Trump, will be here at NATO on Monday.

Yesterday, I had dinner with Pete Hegseth, the new Secretary of Defence of the United States. So we are, as NATO and the teams are, of course, intensely coordinating, and I know that many Allies and many EU member states are doing the same with Washington. So we are really, and what we did the last 24 hours was also very much about getting to the same page.

And this is a democratic Alliance. You do not always start with concurring positions, but in these 24 hours, what I have seen, was a tremendous sense of unity and of conversions of use, and maybe not on everything and every detail, but still in Alliance, moving united forward.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right, staying in the same part of the room. Woman in the white blouse and beige vest.

Iulia Sarivan, Journal TV
Good afternoon. My name is Iulia Sarivan. I'm from the Republic of Moldova, representing here Journal TV. So, Mr. Rutte, last night, the air space of the Republic of Moldova was overflown by Russian drones, some of them even exploded on the Moldovan territory, which is very serious and endangers the lives of our citizens. What can Allies do to help Moldova to protect its airspace, because it's really dangerous right now. And as we speak, Moldovan citizens are in danger.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well, as you know, many Allies, and I hosted Maia Sandu, the President of Moldova, here myself in late 2024, I think it was in December. So, we are having a lot of talks and consultations, and many Allies also bilaterally, supporting Moldova, the European Union is very much involved, because we all care about your beautiful country. And to make sure that you prevail in this ongoing, let's say, you would call it hybrid in the past, but this is really destabilisation campaigns and sometimes even state sponsored terrorism, against your country.

And this is what we are doing, working together on this, consulting, and making sure that we are on the same page. That is very important.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right. And just behind her, Frankfurter Algemeiner Zeitung.

Thomas Gutschker, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Thanks a lot. Thomas Gutschker, with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Secretary General, yesterday the US Secretary of Defence also said that in the future, Europeans need to take ownership of their own, as he said, conventional security. How do you read this? Does it mean that we should expect the bulk of the US forces in Europe, which are about 100,000 at the moment, will be withdrawn from the continent? Did you discuss this with him? Did you get any assurances, and would it be wise for Europeans to basically foresee a situation where the US only provides a nuclear umbrella, but no longer any conventional protection? Thank you.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Thank you for the question. And you know, Pete Hegseth visited to Stuttgart on Tuesday and on a question, by you or one of your colleagues, said that there are no plans to reduce troop levels. That's one. At the same time, the US is quite irritated, basically, for a long time. And Trump made this very clear when he came on board in 2016, 2017, about the fact that US is spending much more on defence than the average is in the rest of NATO, in Canada and in Europe.

So we have to do more. Last year, we spent 20% more, US NATO Allies. So if you take out US from the from the numbers, the rest of NATO spent 20% more. So we can do this. But it is not nearly enough. When you look at the capability targeting process, and when you then from there start to see the emerging gaps. It has to be much and much more than this famous 2%, it will be more than 3% at least. So here he is right. And the good thing, of course, is when we, in the rest of NATO spend more, that there will be more of a burden sharing with what the US is doing, because the US itself is now on about 3.3, 3.4, 3.5%, depending on which year and how you calculate it.

So that burden shift is necessary. But to your concrete question, I think Pete Hegseth was very clear in Stuttgart.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
Let's see. Here, woman in the second row.

Yury Beliat, Holod Media
Yury Beliat, Holod Media, Russian media in exile. I wanted to ask you about, like yesterday NATO already did what Putin wanted, dropped off the idea of Ukraine membership in the Alliance in the foreseeable future. If this, how NATO will make Putin to start the talking process, but just give him what he wants?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well, listen. In Washington again, NATO committed to future NATO membership for Ukraine, but it has never been agreed that whenever peace talks would start, that peace talks would end anyway and always and definitely with NATO membership. That has never been agreed. It could be, but it never was that clearly stated.

What I consistently have said is we have to make sure that whatever the outcome is, we have to make sure that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, will never, ever try again to attack Ukraine. That is crucial. And then you and I, as I said yesterday, we can spend time, and not a very long time. I think in ten minutes, we can think of five or ten ways to make sure that we have those guarantees in place for Ukraine, going forward. But it has never been a promise to Ukraine that as part of a peace deal, they would be in NATO.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
Ok right, and now we'll go to the woman in the black jacket.

Maria Luce Lucrezio, RAI
Maria Luce Lucrezio, Italian Public Television. US Secretary of Defence said that us are interested towards the Indo, Pacific and China more than Europe. So European Union states, they are a little bit concerned about this. What do you think about?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Spend more, spend more, and those not on 2%, get to the 2% by this summer, and those on 2% prepare for much, much more. And it will be north of 3%. Because what is behind this is two things. One is the genuine issue that the US has to concentrate on multiple theatres, including on the Indo-Pacific, absolutely, China, etc. It is a great worry for them, and rightly so. But also a continuous debate they are having with European Allies. Hey guys, we are spending over 3% ,3,5% on average in the US, you are close to 2% or not even at 2% in the rest of NATO.

So they are right, They have every right to be extremely irritated because we are saying, yeah, but spending more might mean maybe saving somewhere else, or increased taxation, or, yeah, hey, guess what? That's the same for the US. When you spend 3,5% on defence, then you cannot spend it on your pensions, or you cannot lower your taxes by that amount. So they're absolutely clear.

So I think these things, two things come together. US has to concentrate on Europe, yes, but also on other issues. And by the way, when it comes to the Indo-Pacific and many Allies today made that point, these theatres get more and more interconnected with North Korea, China and Iran backing up Putin, particularly North Korea and China being over there in the in the Indo Pacific region. As I said before to you, I have sometimes more phone calls coming out of Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, from senior politicians there, than from some NATO Allies.

So they are really worried about what's happening there. They want us to work closer together. And I also said today, if the US rightly so, sees China and other emerging situations in the Indo-Pacific as an emerging threat to that country, then we have to face that together. Not that NATO is now expanding to the Indo Pacific, but then you have to work together as an Alliance, how to make sure that those security threats of the US are also a concern for us here in Europe.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
NHK.

Sachiyo Sugita, NHK
Sachiyo  from NHK, the public TV station in Japan, thank you. Kind of following up on my colleague's question, do you expect the IP4 countries to be spending more on defence concerning these situations?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well, of course, what I'm really doing in NATO is to make that push for more spending. It's not up to me, of course, to advise Japan or Korea or Australia or New Zealand on their spending levels. But your country has now a Prime Minister and a Foreign Minister and a Defence Minister. The Defence Minister is Defence Minister, and the Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister are former defence ministers. So you have the three most involved politicians in the cabinet really being very much, and I was on the phone with the Prime Minister recently, and we totally agreed on the importance of working together. But of course, it's not up to me to now even move outside NATO territory and start to lecture the whole world that they have to spend more on defence.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right, we have time for just a few more. BBC Russian Service.

Elizaveta Fokht, BBC Russian Service
Thank you very much. Firstly, just to follow up, you said it was clear that this, this call that happened between Putin and Trump, was imminent, and you knew about this. Should we take it as a sign that you and other Allies knew beforehand, before this call happened, that like Trump was going to talk to Putin? And do you think that the position that he shared with Mr. Putin, was it just American position, or was it, you know, like something that everybody agreed on? This is my first question.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Let me first answer that question, then we go to your second question. Now, what I said is we always knew that this week, that that call was imminent, not exactly at that particular time slot, it is not that detailed that we consult with each other, but we knew a call would happen soon. It was imminent, and teams are consulting each other. That doesn't mean that we always consult in detail about all the talking points in each of the phone calls, each of the leaders within NATO is making. But of course, there is a large sense of sharing what each of us is doing.

Elizaveta Fokht, BBC Russian Service
Ok, and my second question is, President Zelenskyy said today that there's a huge risk that the negotiations, and just the conversation about the future of Ukraine and Europe could turn into bilateral US-Russia conversation. And I think it's not a secret that Vladimir Putin wants to see, something like the second Yalta, you know, like the situation where he sits with an American president and they decide on the fate of the whole world. And it feels that in the last two days, the risk that Europe will be excluded, Europe and Ukraine will be excluded from this conversation, became much higher. What do you think about this?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well, first of all, the first one, President Trump called after he was on the phone with Putin, was President Zelenskyy. They talked for an hour. Tomorrow, President Zelenskyy will meet with Vice President Vance. I will myself have talks tomorrow with President Zelenskyy in Munich. So we are closely coordinating between the US and also Ukraine, and, of course European Allies.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right. And just behind her, the blonde woman.

Tanja Komarica, Ringier Serbia
Thank you, Tanja Komarica Serbia. What are the key challenges in NATO's relation with the non-member countries in the Western Balkan and how does NATO plan to strengthen cooperation with these countries?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well obviously, we are very much involved, as you know, in Kosovo through KFOR. We also were closely following and being helpful, trying to be helpful in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I myself have excellent relations with all the leaders in the region thanks to my previous role, including President Vucic of Serbia.

So we are in constant contact, making sure that whatever we can do to contribute to stabilising the region we do. We have just had the Kosovo elections. The Electoral Committee still has to decide I think on the exact outcome, but we have seen the trend. It might probably mean that you will have a coalition now in Kosovo, and that political process, of course, has to take place, as is normal in a democracy. But we are closely connecting and following everything happening there. And as you know, the Deputy Secretary General is also from the Western Balkans. She's from North Macedonia, and she is a great advisor on all these issues.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right. Ekho.

Artiom Besedin, Ekho
Artoim Bsedin, Ekho. So if, as we see, negotiation may start soon, maybe in this half year or year, does that mean that member states are effectively accepting the suspended status of the annexed territories? How does it align with statements supporting Ukraine's sovereignty? Does that mean that NATO, accepts all these territories, are controlled by Russia forever?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Well, again, what I said before, we want peace. We want to make sure that when the talks really get underway, that you guys are, sorry, Ukrainians, but I know you're in exile. I'm not sure whether you live in Ukraine now, but at least that Ukrainians are in the best possible position to conduct those talks, and that whatever the outcome is, that we make sure that it is the full stop. And that Russia will never try again. And really are consulting with our Allies here in Europe, with the Canadians, and particularly, of course, with the Americans.

As I said myself, I will have many meetings with senior American officials in person in Munich and here in Brussels, with, of course, also on the phone and that is important, so that, because we all have that wish, that we will get to a durable peace in Ukraine, but that we try to do it in a way that is indeed enduring, lasting. And of course, President Zelenskyy himself is very much part of all those conversations.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
Gentlemen in the front and centre.

Raf Sanchez, NBC News
Raf Sanches, NBC News. Secretary General, you said the NATO Alliance is united around the goal of putting Ukraine into the strongest possible position going into these negotiations. But did Secretary Hegseth explicitly confirm to you that that is the American position? Because the way President Trump was speaking yesterday, it sounded to many people like he sees the United States as essentially a neutral mediator in these talks.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
No, but you know that the US is one of the biggest suppliers of military aid into Ukraine, which is still ongoing. And what is very important, of course, here is that going forward, and I've said that before, I expect the US, for the European Allies, to take a bigger share of the financial burden.

That might be the case, and I would not be surprised, because the US has paid a lot of money. And luckily, over 2024 what we have seen is that now the European part of NATO is taking about 60% of the burden in terms of the money involved. And going forward, I expect the Europeans to step up even further.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
All right. And final question, gentlemen in the beige jacket.

Question
Secretary, thank you for this opportunity. Secretary Hegseth said yesterday that the idea of putting boots on the ground, involving the US troops in Ukraine, is off the table. Do other NATO Allies share the same idea, and if NATO is not involved in this type of security guarantee for Ukraine, what can we expect from NATO because we are fighting that war?

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Yes, I understand that. But why do you guys want to discuss in a press conference the exact configuration of what a lasting peace deal would look like, including this. You're right on this, the security guarantees, which have to be part of that. Because, as I said before, you can have many discussions on how to do that. It could be NATO. It could not be NATO. It could be individual countries helping. There are many ways to do that, but to go into that in detail, the only thing we will be doing is informing Vladimir Putin, and he is sitting in a reclining chair listening to what I'm answering to your question. If I would give you the answer in full, and I won't, because I don't want to make him any wiser.

Jonathan Beale
That's exactly what the US Defence Secretary said.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
What he said, is, he made very clear the US position on yes or not NATO, as part of a peace deal, and he is totally entitled to do that. Thank you so much.

NATO Acting Spokesperson Allison Hart
Thank you so much. That's all we have time for.