Trump says Putin called to offer help with Iran conflict
President Trump gave a press conference at the NATO summit in the Netherlands and said that Russian President Putin called him days ago to offer help with the conflict between Iran and Israel. President Trump said he brushed off Putin's offer and instead said the U.S. was more interested in working with Putin on settling the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
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Western Telegraph
12 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Trump meets Zelensky and says higher Nato spending may deter future aggression
Nato members agreed to raise their spending targets by 2035 to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) annually on core defence requirements as well as defence- and security-related spending. That target had been 2% of GDP. 'Europe stepping up to take more responsibility for security will help prevent future disasters like the horrible situation with Russia and Ukraine,' Mr Trump said at the summit-ending news conference shortly after meeting with Mr Zelensky. 'And hopefully we're going to get that solved.' The US president also reiterated his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the war in Ukraine that began with Moscow's invasion in February 2022. 'He'd like to get out of this thing. It's a mess for him,' Mr Trump said. 'He called the other day, and he said, 'Can I help you with Iran?' I said, 'No, you can help me with Russia'.' Mr Trump's meeting with Mr Zelensky was their first face-to-face session since April when they met at St Peter's Basilica during Pope Francis's funeral. Mr Trump also had a major confrontation with Mr Zelensky earlier this year at the White House. Mr Zelensky, in a social media post, said The Hague talks were substantive and he thanked Mr Trump for the US assistance. 'We discussed how to achieve a ceasefire and a real peace. We spoke about how to protect our people. We appreciate the attention and the readiness to help bring peace closer,' Mr Zelensky added. Mr Trump left open the possibility of sending Kyiv more US-made Patriot air defence missile systems. Asked by a Ukrainian reporter, who said that her husband was a Ukrainian soldier, Mr Trump acknowledged that sending more Patriots would help the Ukrainian cause. 'They do want to have the antimissile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots,' Mr Trump said. 'And we're going to see if we can make some available. We need them, too. We're supplying them to Israel, and, they're very effective, 100% effective. Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing.' Over the course of the war, the US has routinely pressed for allies to provide air defence systems to Ukraine. But many are reluctant to give up the high-tech systems, particularly countries in Eastern Europe that also feel threatened by Russia. Mr Trump laid into the US media throughout his news conference but showed unusual warmth towards the Ukrainian reporter. 'That's a very good question,' Mr Trump said about the query about Patriots. 'And I wish you a lot of luck. I mean, I can see it's very upsetting to you. So say hello to your husband.' Ukraine has been front and centre at recent Nato summits. But as the alliance's latest annual meeting of leaders opened in the Netherlands, Mr Zelensky was not in the room. The Trump administration has blocked Ukraine's bid to join Nato. The conflict with Russia has laid waste to Ukrainian towns and killed thousands of civilians. Just last week, Russia launched one of the biggest drone attacks of the war. During Mr Trump's 2024 campaign for the White House, the Republican pledged a quick end to the war. He saw it as a costly conflict that, he claimed, would not have happened had he won re-election in 2020. Since taking office in January, he has struggled to find a resolution to the conflict and has shown frustration with both Mr Putin and Mr Zelensky. Mr Zelensky spent Tuesday in The Hague shuttling from meeting to meeting. He got a pledge from summit host the Netherlands for military aid, including new drones and radars to help knock out Russian drones. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the United Kingdom will provide 350 air defence missiles to Ukraine, funded by £70 million raised from the interest on seized Russian assets.
Times
23 minutes ago
- Times
Trump hails ‘great victory' as Nato leaders boost defence spending
President Trump hailed a 'great victory' at the Nato summit in the Netherlands after alliance members agreed to a new 5 per cent target for defence spending and apparently told him: 'Thank God for the US.' He said he was leaving the two-day meeting 'thinking people love their countries' and that Nato 'is not a rip-off' after years of attacking fellow member states for not spending enough on defence. At a lengthy press conference, he showered praise on Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary-general, who he said was 'terrific'. Rutte had earlier referred to Trump as 'daddy' for his role in securing a ceasefire in the Middle East. Trump was flanked by Marco Rubio, his secretary of state, and Pete Hegseth, referred to as the 'secretary of war'.
Times
23 minutes ago
- Times
Trump issues tariff threat after Spain rejects Nato defence target
President Trump has threatened to punish Spain by doubling trade tariffs after its prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, refused to meet a new Nato defence spending target of 5 per cent of GDP. Trump warned that Spain would 'pay more money' than if it had agreed to reach the target after Sánchez said that his country would pay only 2.1 per cent. Sánchez has signed up to Nato's commitment to 5 per cent over ten years but at the same time has stated that Spain will spend considerably less. The US president said he would make Spain pay higher trade tariffs for trying to take a 'free ride' with Nato. 'It is terrible what they've done,' he said of Spain. 'They are the only country that won't pay the full [amount]. They want to stay at 2 per cent. Their economy is doing well and that economy could be blown right out of the water if something bad happened.' Speaking at the Hague, he added: 'I don't know what the problem is. It's too bad. So we will make it up. We are negotiating with Spain on a trade deal and we are going to make them pay twice as much. I am actually serious about that.' Trump complimented Spain on being 'great place and a great people' but said: 'They will have to pay it back to us on trade because I'm not going to let that happen. It's unfair.' Asked whether he would negotiate himself, he replied with relish: 'I am going to negotiate directly with Spain and I am going to do it myself. They are going to pay. They will pay more money this way.' He told the Spanish reporter who asked the question: 'You should go back and tell them to pay. They ought to join all those countries that are paying 5 per cent … They were the most hostile to doing that.' • Pedro Sánchez's row with Trump could offer respite from scandal Shortly before Trump's remarks, Sánchez said: 'We have saved Spain's interests.' He said that the 2.1 per cent of GDP pledged for security and defence was 'a sufficient, realistic investment compatible with our social model and our welfare state'. He added: 'Spain is a sovereign and caring country.' On the eve of the summit Sánchez announced that he had struck a deal with Nato not to reach the 5 per cent target. But Mark Rutte, Nato's secretary-general, denied he had agreed to exempt Spain. 'Nato has no opt-out and Nato doesn't know side deals,' he said. Sánchez is fighting for his political survival as corruption allegations threaten to topple his minority government. To survive the kickbacks scandal at the heart of his inner circle, Sánchez needs to minimise defence spending to maintain the support of his allies, particularly his main coalition partner, the populist-left alliance Sumar. Pablo Simón, a professor of politics at Carlos III University in Madrid, said: 'The main variable Sánchez uses has to do with his knowledge that opposing defence spending and confronting Trump can be popular in domestic politics.'
