Rutte spoke about the success of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia

Rutte praised Turkey's contribution to the peace efforts in Ukraine, particularly its role in the peace talks in Istanbul. He called President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "an amazing leader in NATO who is highly respected by his colleagues."

According to Rutte, the coming weeks open up new opportunities to improve the situation in Ukraine. He emphasized the role not only of President Volodymyr Zelensky and the United States, but also of Turkey, which plays a significant diplomatic role.

Separately, Rutte called for closer EU cooperation with non-EU European countries — including Turkey, Britain and Norway — especially in the defense industry. He noted Turkey's key role in producing weapons for the Alliance, stressing that US factories would not be able to operate without cooperation with Turkish companies.

For example, there are factories in Texas that produce ammunition. They couldn't do it without working closely with companies here in Turkey. That's just one example of many.

Rutte also advocated a significant increase in allies' defense spending, given the long-term threat from Russia, China's military growth, and the risks of terrorism.

In conclusion, he expressed confidence that the next NATO summit in The Hague will be a sensational example of demonstrating the Alliance's unity and determination — in particular through its partnership with Turkey.