Should you assume Europe might defend itself, ‘carry on dreaming,’ Nato’s Rutte tells EU lawmakers
Rutte additionally tells EU lawmakers that in the event that they assume the EU or Europe as entire can defend itself with out the US, they need to “carry on dreaming”.
He says Europe’s defence spending would then must go massively as much as 10%, with additional want to purchase personal nuclear functionality and spend “billions and billions of euros.”
He additionally says Europe wants the US and equally the US wants Nato.
He provides that at the same time as US priorities evolve, there’ll “all the time be a really robust standard US presence in Europe.”
Key occasions
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Closing summary
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If you think Europe could defend itself, ‘keep on dreaming,’ Nato’s Rutte tells EU lawmakers
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Nato’s Rutte defends his praise of Trump over push to increase Europe’s defence spending
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Nato’s Rutte says US ‘greatly appreciates’ all allied efforts, despite Trump’s comments
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Rutte points to ‘very sensitive’ territory talks in Ukraine peace process
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Two work streams agreed as way forward on Greenland, Nato’s Rutte says
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Rutte warns Ukraine is facing ‘harshest winter’ as he urges lawmakers to show flexibility on use of EU funds
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Nato’s Rutte about to speak in European parliament
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Czechs raise over €5.4m to fund generators, heaters for Ukraine
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India, EU reportedly conclude talks on new trade deal
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Hungary to challenge EU’s plans to phase out Russian energy imports
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UAE negotiations over Ukraine covered ‘important issues,’ but ‘complex political matters remain unresolved,’ Zelenskyy says, hinting at more talks to come
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Energy, heat situation remains ‘extremely challenging,’ Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says
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10 countries commit to build 100GW wind power grid in North Sea
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Italian journalists threatened by ICE agents while filming on US tensions
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Germany criticises Russia’s ‘stubborn insistence’ on maximalist territorial demands
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EU ‘in contact’ with Ukrainian, US delegations after talks with Russia in UAE
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EU dismisses suggestions of targeting US companies, undermining free speech as it launches new Grok probe
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European Commission declines to comment on ‘US internal matter’ of Minneapolis killing
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EU opens new probe into Elon Musk’s X over manipulated sexually explicit images
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Why Germany is racing to rebuild its army? – podcast
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Senior EU leaders continue to criticise Trump for ‘disrespecful’ Afghanistan comments
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EU countries sign off on Russian LNG, pipeline gas ban
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Finland warns about Russia’s continuing hybrid activities in region
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Finland steps up maritime surveillance with EU, Baltics to protect critical undersea infrastructure
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Morning opening: The week after the week before
Closing abstract
Jakub Krupa
… and on that be aware, it’s a wrap for in the present day!
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Nato secretary common Mark Rutte informed EU lawmakers that in the event that they assume that Europe can defend itself with out the US, they need to “carry on dreaming” (16:47), as he repeatedly defended the necessity for a detailed working relationship with the US president, Donald Trump, regardless of current public clashes over Greenland and the function of Nato allies in Afghanistan.
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In his first longer public outing since final week’s talks with Trump on the margins of the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Rutte stated there have been two separate work streams taking a look at resolving tensions over Greenland (16:37), saying Nato would have a job in determining a solution to strengthen the Arctic safety.
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Rutte additionally acknowledged there have been “very delicate” points to be resolved round Russian calls for relating to Ukraine’s territory, however he insisted solely Kyiv might make these choices on what, if something, could be accepted as a compromise.
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Nato chief additionally insisted that the US “drastically appreciates” all allied contributions to its “struggle on terror” in Afghanistan (16:42), regardless of Trump’s current feedback inflicting an uproar in Europe (10:51).
Elsewhere,
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Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated the trilateral talks with US and Russia “lined a variety of essential points,” however conceded that “complicated political issues … stay unresolved,” hinting at additional talks later this week (14:22) because the nation struggles to take care of the affect of current Russian strikes on its vitality infrastructure (14:08, 15:18).
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The 27 EU nations have given their ultimate approval to completely ban Russian liquefied pure gasoline imports by 1 January 2027, and Russian pipeline gasoline by 30 September 2027 (10:36), regardless of Hungary and Slovakia’s fierce opposition to the transfer, with the previous threatening with a authorized motion (14:32).
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The European Fee has launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s X over manipulated sexually express photos and potential baby sexual abuse materials unfold by the platform’s AI Grok characteristic (12:05, 12:14, 12:47).
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India and the European Union have reportedly concluded negotiations on a long-coveted commerce deal, which could possibly be introduced as early as Tuesday (14:43).
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In the meantime, the European Parliament has delay till subsequent week a call on whether or not to renew its work on the European Union’s commerce take care of the US, Reuters reported.
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for in the present day.
When you have any ideas, feedback or solutions, electronic mail me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I’m additionally on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Rutte ends on a warning that Ukraine’s interception charges in opposition to Russian drones has come down, because the nation doesn’t have sufficient interceptors to struggle again and work.
He urges EU lawmakers to assist him make the case for some leaders who sit on a big pile of interceptors – although he refuses to call them in an open session – to assist Ukraine.
“That is the distinction between life and loss of life, day in, day trip, and the way we shield the essential vitality infrastructure,” he says.
He ends by joking that he answered most questions, however he discovered one or two “too troublesome” to reply on the spot.
And that’s it from him.
Rutte declines to touch upon the US “board of peace.”
He then backs numerous regional preparations that deepen safety and defence cooperation on smaller scale, similar to E3, E5 or Bucharest 9.
Touching upon different matters, he briefly discusses Iran and the safety within the Balkans.
Should you assume Europe might defend itself, ‘carry on dreaming,’ Nato’s Rutte tells EU lawmakers
Rutte additionally tells EU lawmakers that in the event that they assume the EU or Europe as entire can defend itself with out the US, they need to “carry on dreaming”.
He says Europe’s defence spending would then must go massively as much as 10%, with additional want to purchase personal nuclear functionality and spend “billions and billions of euros.”
He additionally says Europe wants the US and equally the US wants Nato.
He provides that at the same time as US priorities evolve, there’ll “all the time be a really robust standard US presence in Europe.”
Nato’s Rutte defends his reward of Trump over push to extend Europe’s defence spending
Rutte additionally once more defends his relationship with Trump.
He says:
“Hey, hear, if anyone is doing good things and President Trump is doing numerous good things, I consider, I do know I’m irritating numerous you once more, however I feel so as a result of, as I stated additionally in Davos, the two% reached by all, Nato nations, … on the finish of 2025, would by no means, ever, ever have occurred with out Trump.”
He provides that Spain, Italy, Belgium and Canada would haven’t moved to extend their defence spending with out Trump, “no approach.”
He says Trump had “one large irritant” over Europe’s decrease defence spending compared, however insists that’s “gone” with new dedication from allies.
He additionally says he doesn’t thoughts Trump publishing his personal textual content messages earlier than Davos.
Nato’s Rutte says US ‘drastically appreciates’ all allied efforts, regardless of Trump’s feedback
Rutte additionally stresses the significance of the allied contribution to Afghanistan, in distinction to Trump’s feedback final week.
He notes the US president’s change of tone over the weekend, and says that he is aware of that “America drastically appreciates all of the efforts being made in Afghanistan” and acknowledges the sacrifice from different nations.
Rutte factors to ‘very delicate’ territory talks in Ukraine peace course of
Turning to Ukraine, Rutte factors to Zelenskyy’s current feedback that the US safety ensures are “near being agreed upon.”
He acknowledges that there’s a large excellent and “very delicate” concern on territory with Russia, and he says that solely Ukraine could make any determination on what, if something, they’ll settle for in a approach of compromise.
He notes Ukraine would wish to be a part of Nato, however factors out that some member states stay opposed and so “politically, it’s virtually not on the playing cards,” a minimum of for now.
He flatly denies that the US tried to leverage its promise of safety ensures for Ukraine in talks with Nato on Greenland.
And he welcomes the French transfer to grab a suspected shadow fleet tanker in a success to Russia’s mannequin of funding its struggle in opposition to Ukraine.
He additionally talks a few potential European different to Nato with out the US, warning that it will be difficult and dismisses it by saying “Putin would find it irresistible.”
Two work streams agreed as approach ahead on Greenland, Nato’s Rutte says
Rutte says he had quite a few cellphone calls with different European leaders on Greenland final week, as they mentioned what’s subsequent, with two essential “work streams” rising.
The primary one is to concentrate on Nato’s collective actions to step up the safety within the Arctic and shield the area from Russia and China particularly – each when it comes to navy, but in addition when it comes to defending the Greenlandic financial system.
The second work stream is extra on Danish-Greenlandic-US relations, he says, pointing to a current assembly between Danish and Greenlandic officers with US vice-president JD Vance and US state secretary Marco Rubio.
He says he gained’t be that a lot concerned on this, as he doesn’t have a mandate to go and negotiate on behalf on Denmark.
Extra broadly, he defends Trump (jokingly saying that he does that “simply to annoy you”) saying that the US president does have some extent on the Arctic safety and extra must be achieved there.
Seems it was simply 25 questions.
Rutte begins his reply by saying he’s undecided if he can reply all of them.
Clearly.
Let’s see what he says.
Jakub Krupa
It seems that Rutte may have quarter-hour on the very finish of the session to reply to roughly 34298734 questions that would every make an ideal PhD dissertation.
Hope he’s making good notes.
We now have now moved to Q&A and Rutte will get requested numerous questions on Russia’s threats that it will take into account any western troops in Ukraine to be respectable targets for strikes, concerning the US presence in Greenland, the broader Arctic safety, and his response to Trump’s feedback on allied presence in Afghanistan.
The best way the European Parliament’s hearings are structured, he’ll solely get to reply to them en masse sooner or later (a lot) later, so, frankly, he’ll get to do with them no matter he desires and the questions he’ll reply could also be very troublesome to those truly requested.
I’ll deliver you the important thing traces from his response right here.
Rutte warns Ukraine is dealing with ‘harshest winter’ as he urges lawmakers to indicate flexibility on use of EU funds
Rutte begins by speaking concerning the Russian aggression on Ukraine.
He says it’s “the harshest winter” for Ukrainians for over a decade, highlighting the worsening points brought on by Russian assaults on important infrastructure in Kyiv and different cities.
Rutte says that the US-led peace talks are on-going, crediting the US management for the initiative, but in addition mentions the EU-led Coalition of the Keen and its work on safety ensures.
He says the goal needs to be to get to a peace deal or a long-term ceasefire, “and let’s pray we have now it as quickly as potential,” after which be sure that Russia’s Vladimir Putin “by no means, by no means” assaults Ukraine once more.
He then says that Nato continues to assist Ukraine with US navy gear price billions of {dollars} coming via the Prioritised Ukraine Necessities Listing, or PURL, mechanism and smaller, nationwide initiatives.
He additionally urges EU lawmakers to not be “overly restrictive” on how €90bn of EU mortgage on safety might be utilized by imposing any “purchase EU” circumstances that will limit Kyiv’s means to get what’s wanted or spend the assigned budgets. “I encourage you to maintain Ukraine’s wants first in focus,” he says.
Rutte repeats his common warning that Ukraine’s safety “I feel everyone knows …can be our safety.”
He then strikes on to debate Nato’s revised GDP defence spending targets and Europe’s broader safety partnerships.
