His Excellency Mark Rutte

On Transatlantic Historical Ties: "Of course there are real contrasts between Europe and [the] United States: economic, political, social, and cultural. But it is history—our historical ties—that make our differences minor compared with what we have in common."

On a Shared Solidarity between Europe and the United States: "But it was only in the twentieth century that those historical ties grew into a unique form of transatlantic solidarity. The First and Second World Wars, and the Cold War that followed, brought America and Europe even closer together: from a political, from a military, and from an economic point of view. Right up to the present day. It was and remains an alliance based on a number of fundamental shared values: democracy, freedom, the rule of law, and a belief in free market principles. No wonder President Obama speaks of Europe as ‘the cornerstone of our engagement with the world.’ I can assure you that, for Europe—and certainly for the present Dutch government—the reverse is equally true."

On the Importance of Maintaining the Transatlantic Relationship: "[It’s] vital that the United States and Europe continue working on their relationship to keep it up to date. Because we need you, and—can I say?—you need us. Because in our dealings with other countries we are better off working together than by ourselves. But also because the world around us is changing continuously, and changing circumstances demand action: the debt crisis in Europe, America’s economic prospects, the rise of the BRICs, the Arab Spring, the alarming situations in countries like Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, and, of course, Syria. These developments all impact each other and the transatlantic relationship."

On NATO's Role in Global Economic Cooperation: "The more we can increase safety and security in the world, the better America and Europe can promote their shared international economic interests—and the more people in other countries will gain access to global markets. So NATO’s strategic military alliance and our transatlantic economic cooperation are directly connected."

On the Netherlands and Smart Defence: "I’m pleased that NATO and this NATO summit are aiming toward innovation and smart solutions on both fronts. The Netherlands, for example, is a strong advocate of ‘smart defense.’ And we aim to be one of the lead nations in this field. By working together even closer, by sharing information better and sooner, we can increase the return on our NATO investment in terms of people and resources. In short, we can get greater value for the same money."