On April 3, 2025, at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Rutte welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, noting his presence at his first foreign ministers meeting. Rutte expressed condolences for four U.S. soldiers who died during exercises in Lithuania, acknowledging the efforts by the U.S., Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia to recover the soldiers. He praised Rubio for his diplomatic endeavors and past support of NATO.
Rutte addressed the ongoing situation in Ukraine, noting President Trump's negotiations aimed at achieving lasting peace. He remarked on the military support from European NATO Allies, pointing out the $20 billion provided to Ukraine in recent months. The Secretary General outlined the agenda for the upcoming discussions, mentioning threats from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.
He emphasized the expectation for increased defense spending by European Allies and Canada, highlighting recent surges in expenditure as the largest since the end of the Cold War. Rutte also underscored the importance of discussions with partners from Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand regarding defense industrial production.
Following Rutte, Secretary of State Rubio thanked him for the warm welcome and condolences. Rubio reinforced the U.S.'s active role in NATO, noting President Trump’s commitment. He called for stronger NATO capabilities, encouraging member countries to increase their defense spending, aiming for up to 5% of their budgets.
Rubio recognized the trade-offs involved due to domestic needs but highlighted the necessity of defense spending as a deterrent. He conveyed the U.S.'s intention to achieve a realistic pathway for increased NATO defense capabilities. Rubio concluded with an intention to engage with Indo-Pacific partners to address growing threats in that region.
The meeting emphasized partnership and the need for NATO to maintain and enhance its defense capabilities in response to global threats.