NATO, Ukraine, American support… The issues at the heart of the visit of the Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance to the Élysée

There will be many topics between the two men this Tuesday, November 12. Emmanuel Macron receives the new Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, at the Élysée, against a backdrop of threats of disengagement by the United States from the Atlantic Alliance and an end to American support for Ukraine after the election of Donald Trump at the White House. This is the first meeting between the French president and the Dutchman since he took office at the head of NATO on October 1.

Donald Trump's threats

“They will have the opportunity to address together the challenges facing the Alliance, and in particular support for Ukraine,” announced the Élysée. “The President of the Republic will recall the central role of the Organization for our collective security, and the importance of developing its European pillar”, we added. During the American presidential campaign, Donald Trump increased his threats of disengagement from the Atlantic Alliance, of which the United States is the main contributor.

Western officials also fear a slowdown, or even a halt, in American military support for Ukraine while Donald Trump has repeatedly denounced the billions spent by his country to help kyiv, promising to end the war in 24 hours. “His leadership will once again be a key element in keeping our Alliance strong. I look forward to working with him again to advance peace by strengthening NATO,” commented Mark Rutte after the election of the Republican candidate.

NATO claims to have partly responded to the challenges launched by Donald Trump. She has taken over the coordination of military aid to Ukraine, until then in the hands of the Americans, and, above all, she regularly highlights the budgetary efforts of European countries, accused by the billionaire of being “bad payers”. “.