NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte rebuffed several attempts by ABC’s Jon Karl on Sunday to elicit negative comments about President Donald Trump on the subject of Russia and Ukraine.

On the latest edition of This Week on ABC, Karl spoke with Rutte about the upcoming face-to-face summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Karl first asked Rutte what he’s expecting to come of the summit, and Rutte pointed out that Trump “broke a deadlock” with Putin earlier this year, and “was the one delivering the big success at the NATO summit” in June.

“And, of course, only a couple of weeks ago, he decided to, again, open the floodgates of lethal support into Ukraine and to put secondary sanctions on countries, like India,” Rutte said in praise of Trump. “So, he clearly is putting pressure on Putin. Next Friday will be important because it will be about testing Putin — how serious he is on bringing this terrible war to an end.”

Karl then listed objectives European leaders have for ending the war in Ukraine, asking whether the secretary general believes Trump is “on board with all of that.” Rutte praised talks with Vice President JD Vance in London and U.S. engagement engagement in general, stating Ukraine should be “at the table” in the talks. A White House spox on Sunday said that the administration hasn’t “ruled out” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joining the summit.

Karl followed up by asking again whether NATO and European leaders believe Trump will “support” their objectives in ending the war, and again Rutte replied with support for Trump’s role.

“I do believe that,” he said. “Donald Trump, the president, wants to end this. He wants to end the terrible loss of life. He wants to end the terrible damage being done to the infrastructure in Ukraine. So many people losing their lives, so much damage being done.”

Karl then brought up his next guest, former ambassador John Bolton, saying the one-time Trump national security adviser “fears that negotiations are sliding in Russia’s direction” because of Trump and asking if there’s a risk that the summit will end up rewarding Russia for invading Ukraine.

“No, I don’t think the risk is there,” Rutte said. “And all my respects for John, and please send him my best regards, but I would not agree on this point with him.”

He added that all of the moves Trump has made are “clear evidence” he’s “absolutely adamant to bring this war to an end, but also to keep maximum pressure on Putin.”

When Bolton was on a few minutes later, Karl asked him about Rutte saying the summit is a test of Putin and that Trump is going to keep up the pressure. Do you agree with him?” Karl asked Bolton.

“I don’t,” Bolton said, though he then went on to acknowledge several times that Putin is in dire need of regaining a more positive footing with Trump.

KARL: My next guest, Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, says that this meeting comes at a very dangerous point for Ukraine and he fears that negotiations are sliding in Russia’s direction. Is there a risk that something is agreed to here that rewards Russia for its invasion of Ukraine?

RUTTE: No, I don’t think the risk is there. And all my respects for John, and please send him my best regards, but I would not agree on this point with him.

We have seen President Trump putting incredible pressure on Russia. What happened last week, the extra 25 percent tariffs on India, because we know that India is one of the biggest buyers of oil from and — and other material from Russia. And this has had a huge impact to — potentially on the Indian economy, and this is forcing them to be much more clear with Moscow on what they expect Putin to do when it comes to this war in Ukraine.

But also the fact that he opened the floodgates again when it comes to lethal weapons being delivered into Ukraine, paid by the Europeans but delivered by the Americans.

So, this is all clear evidence that President Trump is absolutely adamant to bring this war to an end, but also to keep maximum pressure on Putin. And next Friday will be important because it is testing Putin — how serious he is in this whole process, which will then have to continue after Friday, with Ukraine involved, with others involved, to bring this war to an end.

Watch the clip above via ABC News.

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