BERLIN: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that the military alliance will stay united no matter who wins the US presidential election, as Washington’s European allies nervously await the outcome of the vote.
Speaking alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Rutte reaffirmed the alliance’s strength and continuity amid concerns about the impact of either candidate’s presidency.
“Whoever wins those elections, we will work with Kamala Harris, we will work with Donald Trump, and make sure that the alliance stays united,” Rutte said. “I have no doubt that whoever wins the election will continue to support NATO because it is in the interest of the United States,” he added.
Western allies have expressed anxiety over the election, particularly if Donald Trump, who frequently criticized NATO during his previous presidency, reclaims office.
Between 2017 and 2021, Trump’s approach to NATO raised tensions as he accused allies of inadequate defence spending and warned they would be left vulnerable if they did not meet NATO’s funding goals.
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In February, Trump remarked that he would “encourage the Russians to do whatever the hell they want” to NATO allies that failed to meet spending targets.
Kamala Harris, meanwhile, has made it a priority to highlight her commitment to NATO, pledging to work closely with allies. Like President Joe Biden, she has consistently voiced her support for NATO and emphasized the importance of maintaining a unified front.
Concerns about a shift in US policy under another Trump administration have intensified as Western allies worry about a possible reduction in American military aid to Ukraine. The US has been Kyiv’s largest supporter and a driving force behind NATO’s united stance in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Rutte also addressed recent reports of North Korean troops in Russia, a development seen as heightening global security concerns. “This motivates us to step up and do even more,” he said, adding that support from Pyongyang was “a very serious development and an escalation.”
Rutte said that NATO allies are increasingly focusing on enhancing security not only within the Euro-Atlantic area but also in the Indo-Pacific, to respond to mounting global threats.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has recently made a renewed plea for NATO membership while presenting his “Victory Plan” to Western allies. Though immediate NATO membership for Ukraine remains complex, Rutte highlighted recent bilateral agreements between Ukraine and NATO countries as a “bridge to NATO membership in the longer term.”
Confident in Ukraine’s future with NATO, he stated, “I’m absolutely convinced that one day Ukraine will be a member of NATO.”
