NATO Chief Warns Ukraine: "America Holds the Cards" as Tensions Over Aid and Diplomacy Boil Over
 |
| Rutte Urges Zelensky to fix Ties with Trump After White House Clash |
Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary-general, watched the chaos like a bartender sweeping glass. He phoned Zelensky after the “unfortunate” clash. His advice? Kiss the ring. “You need America,” he said, blunt as a boot. “Without them, you’re sunk.”
The fight started when Zelensky pushed Trump to pick sides—Ukraine over Russia. Trump shot back: “Where’s my thank-you note?” He listed the bills—$65.9 billion in bullets, bombs, and Javelin missiles. Those Javelins? Trump’s 2019 gift. Rutte called them Ukraine’s lifeline when Russia rolled in. “No Javelins, no Ukraine,” he barked.
The day ended early. Trump kicked Zelensky out, told him to come back “when you want peace.” Marco Rubio, America’s top diplomat, labeled it a “fiasco.”
Europe’s big names—Macron, Scholz—doubled down on support. Hungary’s Orban clapped for Trump. Russia’s foreign ministry laughed, calling it Kyiv’s “worst day.”
Rutte hammered the point: America writes checks. Everyone else lines up. “Thank Trump,” he said. “Or next time, the checkbook stays closed.”