KEY POINTS
- NATO chief urges Zelensky to mend ties with Trump after heated White House encounter.
- EU leaders worry about continued US support for Ukraine.
- Germany pushes for immediate financial and military aid for Ukraine.
- Hungary calls for direct EU-Russia talks for Ukraine ceasefire.
- Zelensky insists Ukraine needs Trump’s backing to end the war.
- Zelensky meets the British PM and European leaders for support.
- EU summit on Tuesday to discuss security guarantees and aid for Ukraine.
LONDON: NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Saturday urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to restore relations with US President Donald Trump following a tense exchange at the White House that left Ukraine’s future support from Washington uncertain.
Speaking to the BBC on Saturday, Rutte said he had spoken to Zelensky and advised him to find a way to repair ties with Trump and the American administration.
“You have to find a way, dear Volodymyr, to restore your relationship with Donald Trump and the American administration,” Rutte said.
His remarks come amid mounting European concerns about US support for Kyiv, following a dramatic confrontation between Trump and Zelensky in Washington.
EU leaders rally behind Ukraine
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock described the encounter between Trump and Zelensky as “unspeakable” and likened it to a “bad dream,” while urging immediate financial and military support for Ukraine.
In a televised statement, Baerbock said, “Many of you will have slept uneasily after seeing the unspeakable videos from the White House. Honestly, I did too.”
Rejecting what she called an attempt to “switch the roles of victim and aggressor,” she criticised Trump’s comments that Zelensky was “gambling with World War III.”
Baerbock also called for flexibility in EU budget rules to facilitate aid to Ukraine, pressing Germany’s centrist parties to approve a pending €3 billion aid package.
Germany is in a transitional phase following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government and a heavy defeat in last week’s general election.
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However, Baerbock stressed the urgency of acting before a new government is installed, warning that Ukraine’s defeat could bring Russian troops “to the gates of our neighbour, Poland.”
Hungary calls for EU-Russia talks
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban took a different stance, calling for direct EU negotiations with Moscow to end the conflict.
In a letter to European Council President Antonio Costa, as cited by AFP, Orban insisted that the EU should follow the US example and engage Russia in ceasefire discussions.
His letter was first reported by the Financial Times and Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi, with several diplomats confirming its authenticity.
Orban has previously resisted EU efforts to provide military assistance to Ukraine and was the only European leader to praise Trump’s actions, describing his confrontation with Zelensky as “bravely standing for peace.”
The EU is set to hold an extraordinary summit in Brussels on Thursday, where discussions will focus on European security guarantees for Kyiv and additional military aid.
However, Orban signalled Hungary’s opposition to a unified EU stance, writing that “strategic differences in our approach to Ukraine cannot be bridged by drafting or communication.”
Zelensky seeks continued US support
In a post on social media platform X, Zelensky maintained that Ukraine still needed US support, despite the White House clash.
“It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do,” he wrote.
According to US media reports, Zelensky had planned to sign a minerals-sharing agreement with Washington during his visit, but Trump officials ordered him to leave the White House following the dispute.
On Saturday, Zelensky arrived in London for talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European allies.
His spokesperson, Sergiy Nykyforov, confirmed that the Ukrainian leader was scheduled to meet Starmer in the afternoon, followed by discussions with King Charles III and other European leaders on Sunday.
Following the White House incident, European leaders expressed solidarity with Zelensky.
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, a political rival of Zelensky, refrained from criticising him, stating in a Facebook post: “Some people expected me to criticise Zelensky. But no, there will be no criticism, because this is not what the country needs now.” However, he added, “We really hope that President Zelensky has a Plan B.”
