Rutte Calls for ‘Flexibility’ in US Arms Shipments to Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that he “fully understands” the decision of the US to halt the shipments of some weapons to Ukraine to replenish its stockpiles, but calls for “flexibility.”

Rutte made the comments on Tuesday on Fox News following the announcement last night that the US have halted the shipment of some arms to Ukraine, including Patriot air defense missiles, precision artillery shells, and Hellfire missiles fired from F-16 aircraft.

The weapons shipments had previously been approved under former US President Joe Biden.

Rutte met US President Donald Trump at last week’s NATO summit in the Hague, where he and other European leaders gave Trump an effusive reception, with Rutte nicknaming Trump “daddy.” Rutte and other leaders had left the meeting reassured about Trump’s commitment to NATO.

“Yes, I understand that the United States should take care of its arms stockpiles. At the same time, we must allow some flexibility,” Rutte said on Fox.

“Europeans in the meantime are really stepping up and have now committed $35 billion this year, so when it comes to the burden shift from the US to Europe, thats taking place.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov wasted no time in cheering the announcement, “As far as we understand, the reason for the decision was empty warehouses – but the fewer weapons supplied to Ukraine, the closer the end of the ‘special military operation.’”

Other Topics of Interest

US renews Iran attacks as Trump vows to hit ‘hard’

The US launched a second straight day of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, targeting multiple sites after President Donald Trump accused Tehran of stalling negotiations. Iran reported explosions near the Strait of Hormuz, while Gulf states said they intercepted Iranian attacks on US-linked targets. Qatar was still pursuing diplomacy, but UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against a slide into “full war.”

John Ginkel, the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Kyiv, was summoned by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.

“The Ukrainian side stressed that any delay or procrastination in supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities would only encourage the aggressor to continue the war,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in comments to the AFP.

“It is also in the interests of the United States – so that Ukraine does not lose this war... And a safe Europe also means [a] safe United States. These are all completely interrelated things,” Rutte continued.

The decision comes as Russia has escalated its attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, more than doubling its attacks in June of 2025 compared to the same month last year.