ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
The head of NATO, Secretary General Mark Rutte, is in Washington this week to meet with President Trump and senior U.S. officials. He spoke to Morning Edition co-host Michel Martin earlier today, and he had some words of praise for Trump's approach on Russia's war in Ukraine.
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MARK RUTTE: I think the U.S. is really trying to impress on President Trump's team and he, himself - really try to, in an evenhanded way, bring this whole process forward. It will mean compromises on all sides.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
That's even as European leaders have expressed shock and alarm at the U.S. administration's apparent concessions to Russia. But Rutte also criticized Russia's recent deadly attacks on its neighbor.
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RUTTE: The attack on Kyiv, a residential area, people just going about their lives - 12 people killed because of an indiscriminate attack by the Russians on that part of Kyiv. But also, I was in Odessa the other week with President Zelenskyy, and I've seen the devastation there when attacks take place and these missiles come in this beautiful, beautiful city. This is not a sign of strength by the Russians. If they really are winning this, they would not do this. It is clearly a sign of the weakness on the Russian side.
SHAPIRO: NATO is the world's largest military alliance. Rutte is preparing for its annual summit in June. It'll come at a time when the Trump administration is pressing European allies to contribute more to their own defense while seeking to reduce American involvement in several international conflicts beyond the Russia-Ukraine War.
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RUTTE: Obviously, the U.S. has to take care of more issues than only Europe and Euro -Atlantic. There's also the Middle East. There's also the inner Pacific. But I'm absolutely convinced we will do this in a step-by-step approach. But it's only logical. Everybody understands that.
SUMMERS: You can hear more of Michel Martin's interview with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte Monday on Morning Edition. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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