Like Donald Trump, he stopped worrying and loved NATO. “I leave with a different attitude.” The alliance suddenly ceased to be a “fraud”
“We accept the approach consisting in talks with Trumpworld and Maga (the environment of the US president),” says one of the European diplomats in an interview with Politico.
It was a completely different meeting than Trump's visit to the NATO summit in Brussels in 2018. At that time, the American president threatened to withdraw American support for the alliance.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte deciphered the secret to the success of meetings with the participation of President Donald Trump, calling him “Tatus”.
At the top there was a shortened schedule in which there was a lot of praise for the president. There was little space for existential questions, such as how members of the Alliance finance the largest increase in expenses from the end of the Cold War. The title of “Daddy”, which Rutte described Trump, was to be a compliment for intervention in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
The fears of Trump's mood before this year's summit slowly subsided, and then suddenly disappeared when the president together with the secretaries of state and defense had a round of conversations without explosions and abundant demands. Meanwhile, allies promised to do more in favor of their defense.
European officials used flattery and avoided specifics to get a “good atmosphere” and convince the president.
“It's not just about placing Americans. It's not just that we are doing all this to satisfy Americans,” says one of the European diplomats in an interview with Politco.
“The atmosphere was good,” he adds. “Even despite the chaos he causes, we must admit it to him. This is Trump's effect.”
Zelnski and Trump buried the war ax
For about 24 hours, which Trump spent in The Hague, European leaders did everything to satisfy him. During dinner, leading diplomats praised the President for brokering the suspension of weapons between Iran and Israel. The King of the Netherlands Wilhelm-Aleksander offered the US president accommodation in his palace. The proposal was accepted. By giving up long messages and additional thematic sessions, the NATO summit organizers avoided potential disputes about details.
Such treatment was reciprocated during the Trump's press conference, which ended the summit on Wednesday, where he praised Rutte and allies he met.
The President of Ukraine Wołodymyr Zielnski and Trump also met on Wednesday at an hour meeting, which according to one of the Ukrainian advisers “went well”. The US president even called the Ukrainian leader “very nice”.
Zielnski and Trump at the NATO summit in Hague, June 25, 2025.
Few could predict such development of events after in February Trump and vice president JD Vance brought to the wall of the Ukrainian president in the oval office.
From the left: the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelnski, US President Donald Trump and American vice president JD Vance during a quarrel in the oval office, February 28, 2025.
Zielnski, who since the Russian invasion became famous for his military style of dressing, during a catastrophic meeting in the White House was ridiculed by a conservative person from the media for an outfit, which allegedly was a manifestation of disrespect. This time, for the first time in years, he put on a black suit.
“It is in bad taste”
However, Spanish opposition to NATO's obligation to allocate 5 percent. Gross domestic product (GDP) for defense until 2035. He revealed the voltage smoldering below the surface, whose organizers tried to avoid so much.
Attacking the position of Madrid during the press briefing before returning to Washington, Trump called them “terrible” and threatened Spain to double his duties. It was not clear how Trump intends to keep his promise, taking into account that Spain is a member of the 27-state European Union, which negotiates as a block.
Currently, the United States and the EU are conducting intensive negotiations aimed at reducing or eliminating Trump's threat regarding the imposition of 50 % duties on European goods in exchange for lowering customs by the EU and conducting other reforms aimed at opening the market to more American goods and services.
The frustration associated with Trump's position on trade with Europe still sometimes made itself felt. French President Emmanuel Macron drew attention to the inconsistency of the United States, which demand from allies to increase defense expenditure, while limiting their economy. Similarly, the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized trade talks between Washington and Brussels, stating that they are “too complicated”.
However, these notes of incompatibilities have been largely drowned out by the striking harmony of this simplified peak.
Ukraine, which during the peak in Washington in 2024 obtained from NATO countries to transfer billions of dollars help and confirm that her path to the alliance is “irreversible”, only received a mention of the footnote.
However, NATO leaders also promised to include military assistance for Ukraine in their defensive budgets, which both strengthens support for Kiev and stimulates European aspirations for the destination of 5 percent. GDP for defense, i.e. the amount required by Trump.
The US President seems to accept this tactic, which means that some allies perceive 5 percent. As a goal, and they don't worry too much about details.
– We are approaching the goal. Countries show creativity in solving this issue. Without infrastructure and investment in the industry, the army cannot perform its tasks – another European official said in an interview with Politico.
Not everyone was happy in private conversations. After the Russian President Vladimir Putin consistently rejected Trump's efforts to negotiate the end of the war with Ukraine, many European leaders hoped to convince Trump that it was time to impose further sanctions.
Others wondered if flattery did not obscure deeper divisions – including misunderstandings regarding the threat of Russia, the abilities of NATO countries to fulfill their obligations regarding defense expenditure and omitting Ukraine.
“Was it the worst NATO peak in history?” – former Foreign Minister Gabriel Landsbergis wrote on platform X after the summit. “It could have been much worse. For example, we could no longer have NATO. But we still have. So technically, Hurra.”
Landsbergis also criticized Rutte's humble behavior towards Trump. “I can't find words to describe the way of communication chosen by the Secretary General,” he said. “I think I can speak on behalf of a significant part of Europeans – this is in bad taste.”
“I left with a slightly different attitude”
Few others were willing to publicly criticize Trump.
“I would say that this peak is a real show of unity,” said Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky in the margins of the meeting. “I have not heard a single word from any American official who would make me feel uncomfortable. I heard a lot of statements by Marco Rubio and President Trump, who show that they believe in NATO, and this means [funkcjonowanie] art. 5 “.
Although Trump has been strongly criticizing the NATO alliance for years and questioned the United States involvement in Article 5 regarding mutual defense, after almost 24 hours spent in the Hague he said that the peak had a great impression on it.
“I came here because it was my duty, but I leave with a slightly different attitude,” said Trump. “I watched the leaders of these countries stand up, and the love and passion they show to their countries were unbelievable. I have never seen something similar.”
“They want to protect their country and need the United States,” added Trump. “It won't be the same without the United States.”
