Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, marking his first appearance at a foreign ministers meeting. The meeting began with Rutte expressing condolences for the loss of four U.S. soldiers during exercises in Lithuania. "Our thoughts are with their family, their friends, their colleague soldiers, and we have the deepest respect for their service," Rutte stated.
Rutte commended Rubio's diplomatic efforts over recent months and acknowledged his past support for NATO as a senator. He highlighted ongoing discussions about Ukraine and noted that NATO Allies have provided over $20 billion in support to Ukraine to sustain its defense efforts.
The agenda also included discussions on threats from Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. Rutte emphasized the need for increased defense spending among European Allies and Canada, describing it as "probably the biggest surge in defense spending we have seen in Canada and Europe since the Cold War."
Rubio responded by reiterating the United States' active role in NATO and addressing misconceptions about U.S. commitment to the alliance. "President Trump has made clear he supports NATO; we’re going to remain in NATO," Rubio said.
He stressed the importance of strengthening NATO through increased capabilities among member states. Rubio called for a realistic pathway toward members committing to higher defense spending levels: "We do want to leave here with an understanding that we are on a pathway...to every single one of the members committing and fulfilling a promise to reach up to 5 percent in spending."
Rubio also expressed appreciation for Indo-Pacific partners joining discussions amid rising threats to freedom of navigation and territorial integrity in that region.
The meeting concluded with optimism from both leaders about productive engagements moving forward.