Speaking ahead of today's meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says that "There are not plans for the moment for the US to withdraw troops from Europe", adding that the US is "completely committed" to NATO's Art. 5 mutual defence pact. Rutte says that the US' commitment "comes with the expectation that Europe and Canada will spend much more on defence".
- Rutte, asked by reporters whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is invited to the 24-25 June NATO Summit, is not drawn and replies that the programme will be published in due course.
- Regarding Rutte's assertion that US troops would not withdraw from Europe, Teri Schultz at DW notes on X: "Rutte wasn't at [the International Centre for Defence and Security]'s recent Lennart Meri Conference where [US NATO ambassador Matthew] Whitaker said publicly such conversations would begin after the NATO summit."
- The Secretary General also tries to minimise the blow of not having US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth present, claiming the US is "completely committed to our joint endeavours when it comes to Ukraine." This is the first time a US Secretary of Defense has fully missed a UDCG meeting. In his first, he handed hosting duties to UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey. At his second, he only attended virtually.
- Schedule for UDCG on 4 June. Livestream here:
- Defence minister doorstep interviews and statement from Rutte and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov - 14:00CET (08:00ET, 13:00BST).
- Opening remarks from UDCG - 15:00CET (09:00ET, 14:00BST).
- Joint presser between Umerov, Healey, and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius - 17:30CET (11:30ET, 16:30BST).