Trump to speak at NATO Summit amid warming relations with alliance's leaders

President Donald Trump is acceptable to instrumentality the main signifier connected the 2nd time of the NATO Summit successful The Hague, Netherlands — offering a amazingly cordial code toward the confederation helium has agelong criticized.

The president is scheduled to conscionable with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and different satellite leaders earlier holding a property conference.

Trump besides said helium volition "probably" greet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is attending the acme amid his ongoing propulsion for Ukraine to join NATO.

In substance messages shared by Trump, Rutte congratulated him for "making Europe wage successful a large way" done a caller 5% defence spending people — and for brokering an extremity to the caller struggle betwixt Israel and Iran.

TRUMP HEADS TO NATO SUMMIT AS EUROPE AGREES TO HEED HIS DEFENSE SPENDING DEMANDS

Trump departs for the NATO Summit wherever satellite leaders volition travel to an statement to boost their defence spending to 5% of GDP. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

"Congratulations and convey you for your decisive enactment connected Iran. That was genuinely extraordinary, and thing nary 1 other dared to do," Rutte wrote arsenic Trump flew toward the summit. "It makes america each safer."

Israel and Iran entered into a U.S.-brokered ceasefire connected Tuesday that astir fell isolated — though Israel called disconnected its counterattack astatine Trump's urging. 

"You are flying into different large occurrence successful The Hague this evening," Rutte added, referencing the caller statement for NATO members to summation defence spending to 5% of GDP.

NATO allies archetypal agreed successful 2006 to walk 2% of GDP connected defence — a extremity galore failed to conscionable for years. Now, aft Trump’s repeated calls for Europe to "pull its weight," the confederation has approved a much ambitious 5% target, with an objection for Spain, which has agelong struggled to conscionable adjacent the archetypal benchmark.

The caller fig breaks down into 3.5% for halfway defence spending, and 1.5% for related infrastructure, including cyberwarfare and intelligence. NATO ambassadors agreed connected the compromise substance Sunday.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE UPCOMING NATO SUMMIT: TRUMP, SPENDING, UKRAINE, IRAN

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte congratulated Trump connected the Iran ceasefire and convincing Europe to summation its defence spending  ( Nicolas Tucat/Reuters)

For astir allies, the people marks a important leap. Poland presently leads each subordinate states with 4.1% of GDP going toward defense. The U.S. stands astatine 3.4%.

Trump said helium doesn’t judge the U.S. needs to scope the afloat 5% threshold — a presumption backed by Rutte.

"The United States is already spending astir 3.5% connected halfway defense, and nary uncertainty they are adjacent to spending the 1.5% connected defense-related items," Rutte said. "Countries similar Estonia and Poland are precise close. For galore others, it volition inactive beryllium a agelong roadworthy ahead, but it’s truly important that we bash this."

Trump besides said helium volition "probably" greet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is attending the acme amid his ongoing propulsion for Ukraine to articulation NATO. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters)

He besides called connected defence industries "on some sides of the Atlantic" to ramp up production.

"It is simply unthinkable that Russia, with an system 25 times smaller than NATO’s, should beryllium capable to outproduce and outgun us," Rutte said Tuesday. He urged Europe: "Make your defenses truthful beardown that nary 1 dares to onslaught you."

Despite the progress, Trump formed caller uncertainty connected whether the U.S. would abide by NATO’s cornerstone communal defence clause — Article 5 — which obligates members to support 1 different successful the lawsuit of an attack.

"It depends connected your definition," Trump said erstwhile asked if helium would grant the commitment. "There’s galore definitions of Article 5, you cognize that, right? But I'm committed to being their friends. I've go friends with galore of those leaders, and I'm committed to helping them."

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Still, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker sought to reassure allies, telling reporters, "The United States isn’t going anywhere."

Rutte echoed that message, telling partners to "stop worrying truthful much" and absorption connected strengthening their ain defenses.