'Nato is stepping up,' Trump acknowledges as he praises secretary general Rutte
Trump also gets asked about Nato, and he praises Rutte for making the alliance step up.
Nato is stepping up through this man.
This man is a man that only knows how to step up. And we have the same goal in mind.
We want the war ended, and he’s doing his job. He only knows how to do a good job. That’s one thing. That’s why I fought for him to get that job, because they had some other candidates that I’ll tell you would not have done a very good job.
Rutte jokes he will need a clip of his comments for his family archives.
Trump then repeats his line that US spends too much even though “we are on the other side of the ocean.”
But he adds that the new minerals deal with Ukraine “will get us something back, a lot back,” even as he complains “we were treated very unfairly” by Europeans.
Mark Rutte and Donald Trump’s meeting Photograph: ABACA/REX/Shutterstock
Ukraine will not agree to a frozen conflict with Russia, according to Ukraine’s president chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. “We said very clearly that we will never agree to a frozen conflict,” Yermak said, Reuters reports on Thursday. Yermak’s comments come amid talks between Ukraine and the US in Saudi Arabia.
Vladimir Putin has said he has many questions about the proposed US-brokered ceasefire with Ukraine and appeared to set out a series of sweeping conditions that would need to be met before Russia would agree to such a truce. The Russian leader suggested that Ukraine should neither rearm nor mobilise and that western military aid to Kyiv be halted during the 30-day ceasefire.
Observers believe Vladimir Putin is determined to put forward a string of maximalist demands before agreeing to any ceasefire, which is likely to prolong negotiations. These demands could include the demilitarisation of Ukraine, an end to western military aid, and a commitment to keeping Kyiv out of Nato.
Responding to his comments, US president Donald Trump said they were “promising,” but “not complete.” He added that it would be “very disappointing” if Russia rejects the offer, and appeared to pick up on Putin’s suggestion the pair have a call to hash out the differences.
Rasmus Jarlov, the chairman of Denmark’s defense committee, has criticized Nato secretary general Mark Rutte for “joking with [Donald] Trump about Greenland” following a meeting between the two leaders during which Trump said the annexation of the island “will happen.”
During their meeting in the White House’s Oval Office, Trump was asked about the potential annexation of Greenland, to which he replied: “Well, I think it will happen. I’m just thinking, I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man that could be very instrumental… Mark, we need that for international security … as we have a lot of our favourite players, cruising around the coast.”
Rutte then said: “I don’t want to drag Nato into it,” but agreed that Greenland and the Artic Circle pose security value, pointing to China and Russia’s growing presence in the area.
In response to Trump and Rutte’s comments, Jarlov said: “We do not appreciate the Secr. Gen. of Nato joking with Trump about Greenland like this. It would mean war between two Nato countries. Greenland has just voted against immediate independence from Denmark and does not want to be American ever.”
Ukraine will not agree to a frozen conflict with Russia, according to Ukraine’s president chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
“We said very clearly that we will never agree to a frozen conflict,” Yermak said, Reuters reports on Thursday. Yermak’s comments come amid talks between Ukraine and the US in Saudi Arabia. Both Ukraine and the US have jointly proposed a 30-day ceasefire in the 3-year war.
Yermak added that European representatives will also take part in the peace process, saying, “The main thing is that Ukraine is not alone, Ukraine is with its partners… We agreed with our American partners that representatives of Europe will definitely take part in the peace process.”
U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Ukrainian Head of Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, and Ukrainian Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov hold a meeting in the presence of Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, March 11, 2025. Photograph: Saul Loeb/Reuters
Putin, Trump, Ukraine's comments on ceasefire; Trump on Greenland; German parliament - day so far
Jakub Krupa
Russian president Vladimir Putin has said that Russia was technically “in favour” of the proposed ceasefire on Ukraine, but heavily caveated that with “nuances” and “serious issues” that need to be resolved before the proposal can be progressed further (16:51 and 17:13).
He further listed a number of practical issues, including on resolving the Ukrainian “incursion” in Russia’s Kursk region and on monitoring any violations, as well as “addressing the roots of the crisis,” prompting fears he could be about to put forward maximalist Russia’s demands on Ukraine and European allies (17:25 and 17:41).
Putin says issues remain to be discussed before any Ukraine ceasefire – video
Responding to his comments, US president Donald Trump said they were “promising,” but “not complete” (17:48). He added that it would be “very disappointing” if Russia rejects the offer, and appeared to pick up on Putin’s suggestion the pair have a call to hash out the differences.
Putin is understood to be talking to Trump’s senior aide Steve Witkoff in Moscow tonight.
In first Ukrainian public response to Putin’s comment, Zelenskyy’s most senior aide said Ukraine will not agree to a frozen conflict and insisted Europe would have to be involved in peace talks (19:19).
Separately, Trump also made explosive comments about Greenland saying he thought annexation of the island “will happen” as he appeared to dismiss Denmark’s rule over the island (19:06).
Finally, the German parliament held a heated debate over the incoming government’s sweeping plans to increase the country’s defence and infrastructure spending and making changes to the constitutional debt break (12:36, 13:00, 13:17, 13:33, and report)
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, as I hand the blog over to Maya Yang, who will guide you through the evening.
I just wanted to quickly pick up on Trump’s comments about the Greenland election where he said that “the person that did the best is a very good person as far as we are concerned, so we will be talking about it and it is very important”…
US President Donald Trump has now repeatedly mused about buying Greenland.
Let’s be clear: Greenland is not for sale. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never, ever.
Our country is not a commodity, and the idea of buying us shows a profound lack of respect for our values. We are a proud nation that works hard for our freedom and future.
They then went on to say they wanted to “cooperate and trade” with others, including the US, “but it must always be done on our terms and with respect for who we are.”
They concluded:
Trump can drop the idea. Greenland is not for sale.
You can also read more about it in our Nordic correspondent Miranda Bryant’s analysis here:
Putin set out 'sweeping conditions' for truce - analysis
Pjotr Sauer
Russian affairs reporter
Vladimir Putin has said he has many questions about the proposed US-brokered ceasefire with Ukraine and appeared to set out a series of sweeping conditions that would need to be met before Russia would agree to such a truce.
The Russian leader suggested that Ukraine should neither rearm nor mobilise and that western military aid to Kyiv be halted during the 30-day ceasefire.
At the same time, Putin said that he agreed in principle with US proposals to halt the fighting and complemented Trump for his efforts to stop the war.
By avoiding an outright rejection of Trump’s ceasefire proposal, Putin appears to be balancing between not openly rebuffing Trump’s push for peace while also imposing his own stringent demands – potentially prolonging negotiations.
Ukraine ‘will not go for frozen conflict,’ top Zelenskyy aide says
In the meantime, Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, said that Ukraine will not agree to a frozen conflict with Russia.
“We will not go for a frozen conflict, our US partners are also against such a scenario. We are against Minsk 3, and Europe will be included in the peace process,” he said.
In a TV clip, posted also on his social media accounts, he further said that Ukraine had agreed with the US that representatives from Europe will definitely take part in the peace process.
Trump says he has leverage on Russia, but doesn't want to use it for now
Trump also gets asked about his leverage on Russia.
He insists he “does have a leverage,” but doesn’t want to talk about it because “we’re talking to him and based on the statements he made today, they were pretty positive.”
I hope Russia is going to make the deal too. …
I don’t think they’re going back to shooting again. I really believe if we had … if we get a peace treaty, a ceasefire treaty I think that leads to peace, that’s going to really lead to peace.
I don’t think anyone wants to go back [to shooting]. …
And I think if, if President Putin agrees and does a cease fire, I think we’re going to … be in very good shape to get it done.
Trump repeats again that he stepped up the US support for Ukraine and “stopped” the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
'Boat landed there 200 years ago and they have rights to it?,' Trump mocks Denmark's rule over Greenland
On Greenland, Trump gets asked about his vision for potential annexation of the island.
“Well, I think it will happen. I’m just thinking, I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man that could be very instrumental,” he says, as he turns to Rutte saying “Mark, we need that for international security … as we have a lot of our favourite players, cruising around the coast.”
Rutte distances himself from his comments on annexing Greenland, but says Trump is right talking about growing risks in the North Arctic.
Trump is then asked about the recent elections in Greenland, and says “it was a good election for us.”
“The person that did the best is a very good person as far as we are concerned, so we will be talking about it and it is very important,” he says.
The president says the US “is going to order” 48 icebreakers, and that would help to strengthen US position “as that whole area is becoming very important.”
“So we are going to have to make a deal on that and Denmark is not able to do that [offer protection],” he says.
He then mocks Denmark saying they have “nothing to do with that” as “a boat landed there 200 years ago or something, and they say they have rights to it?” “I don’t know if that is true.”
“We have been dealing with Denmark, we have been dealing with Greenland, and we have to do it,” he says.
He again suggests Nato could be involved given its bases there, asking defence secretary Pete Hegseth if he should send more troops there. “Don’t answer that Pete,” he laughs.
'Nato is stepping up,' Trump acknowledges as he praises secretary general Rutte
Trump also gets asked about Nato, and he praises Rutte for making the alliance step up.
Nato is stepping up through this man.
This man is a man that only knows how to step up. And we have the same goal in mind.
We want the war ended, and he’s doing his job. He only knows how to do a good job. That’s one thing. That’s why I fought for him to get that job, because they had some other candidates that I’ll tell you would not have done a very good job.
Rutte jokes he will need a clip of his comments for his family archives.
Trump then repeats his line that US spends too much even though “we are on the other side of the ocean.”
But he adds that the new minerals deal with Ukraine “will get us something back, a lot back,” even as he complains “we were treated very unfairly” by Europeans.
Mark Rutte and Donald Trump’s meeting Photograph: ABACA/REX/Shutterstock
'Very disappointing' if Russia rejects proposals, Trump says; adds he is open to talk to Putin
Trump reveals a bit more of what was going on in negotiations on the ceasefire as he says that “a lot of individual subjects have been discussed.”
Well, we’d like to see a cease fire from Russia. And we have, you know, not been working in the dark.
We’ve been discussing … Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost, and all of the other elements of a final agreement. There’s a power plant involved. You know, very big power plant involved. Who’s going to get the power plant and who’s going to get this and that?
And so, you know, it’s, it’s not an easy process. But phase 1 is the ceasefire.
He goes on:
We’ve been discussing concepts of land because you don’t want to waste time with the ceasefire, if, it’s not going to mean anything. So we’re saying: look, this is what you can get, this is what you can’t get.
They discuss Nato, and being in Nato, and everybody knows what the answer to that is. Know that answer for 40 years, in all fairness.
So a lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed. Now we’re going to see whether or not Russia is there, and if they’re not, it’ll be a very disappointing moment for the world.
On Putin’s first reaction, he says it was “a very promising statement, but it wasn’t complete,” and adds “I would love to meet with him or talk to him, but we have to get it over with fast.”
As part of his opening statement, Trump talks about Nato and how countries need to step up and pay their fair share (including, once again, a pointed praise of Poland for spending above targets).
He says that his comments that “I won’t protect if you are not paying” got you criticism from Russia, but “if [I didn’t say that,] nobody would have paid.”
He then goes back to Ukraine and Russia, and says:
We’re getting words that things are going okay in Russia, but that doesn’t mean anything until we hear what the final outcome is.
But they have very serious discussions going on right now with President Putin and others, and hopefully they all want to end this nightmare.
…
So we hopefully are going to be in a good position sometime today to have a good idea.
We’ll have we know where we are with Ukraine, and we are getting good signals out of Russia as to where we are with Russia, and hopefully they’ll do the right thing.
