25 November 2024
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with President-elect Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida on 22 November. According to a brief NATO statement, they discussed a range of global security issues facing the alliance, without giving details. The Secretary General and his team also met with Congressman Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick as US National Security Advisor, and other members of the President-elect’s national security team. On the 24 November Waltz called for an end to the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war and for both parties to come to the negotiating table.
It was Rutte's first meeting with Trump since the latter’s 5 November election victory. Rutte had previously congratulated Trump and said "his leadership will again be key to keeping our Alliance strong" and that he looked forward to working with him.
Rutte took over as NATO Secretary General in October.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported on 22 November that Trump is considering the creation of a special envoy post to bring an end to fighting in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The report said Trump may appoint to the position his aide Richard Grenell, who worked for the former Trump administration as the ambassador to Germany and the acting director of national intelligence. Grenell accompanied Trump at his talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York in September.