EC President to meet with NATO Secretary General after his visit to US
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte following his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Chief spokesperson for the European Commission Paula Pinho announced this in Brussels on Friday.
"I will not draw preliminary conclusions about what will be discussed at these meetings with the President and the NATO Secretary General, but obviously we should consider this in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and certainly as an opportunity to hear directly from the NATO Secretary General about his visit to the White House," she said.
Pinho emphasized that "it can be expected" that these topics will be subject to discussion between von der Leyen and Rutte. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday. The day before, on Wednesday, the European Commission President will host the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Alexis Grinkevich.
As is known, Rutte was on a visit to the US from April 7 to 12, where he also met with Trump on April 8 amid accusations from the American president that allies are unwilling to assist in the war against Iran. Following the meeting, Rutte called the conversation "very frank, very open, as between two friends." He noted that Trump is "clearly disappointed" with NATO allies for not supporting US efforts in the war with Iran.
In turn, President Trump sharply criticized NATO after meeting Mark Rutte at the White House on April 8, 2026, focusing on the lack of support from the alliance during US actions against Iran. He expressed disappointment that allies are not helping to open the Strait of Hormuz amid rising oil prices. "NATO was not there when we needed it, and it will not be there if we need them again," Trump wrote on Truth Social.