This evening I spoke with Secretary General Mark Ruta to talk about President Trump, Ukraine, and NATO's new historic spending commitment.

What will NATO collectively be able to do with that spending that it wasn't able to before?

We defend ourselves against the Russians. We can defend ourselves now, but there is a big risk in three, five, seven years from now

without the extra spending, that you would not be able to do that.

And I think it's also fair, because it means that Europe and Canada will basically move to

the same level of spending as the U.S. is doing currently.

And I think that's fair that the U.S. is not paying more than the others.

Let's talk about the United States.

With all due respect, some of your language to President Trump has been a little obsequious

over the last few days.

You called him Daddy today?

No, no.

I can explain to you.

And you wrote a note to him a few days ago that included the phrase,

you will achieve something at this summit.

This is a note that the president made public.

Do you fear that that language undermines your argument that these countries are not spending

5% in order to please a president, but in fact to actually face off against their adversaries?

Well, half of the reason to spend more is to equalize with the United States.

This is a consistent argument by President Trump.

The other reason is that we need the extra spending, as I said, to be sure that we can defend

ourselves if the Russians would try something against us.

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