When former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte took over as NATO chief last year his primary task was clear: keep Donald Trump on board should he come back to power.
Now, on the eve of hosting his first alliance summit as boss in his hometown, The Hague, the veteran political operator seems on the verge of delivering.
With a combination of diplomatic finessing and a large dose of flattery, Rutte looks set to make the volatile U.S. leader happy with a carefully crafted deal that meets Trump's demand for NATO allies to spend 5% of GDP on defense.
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