NATO's Rutte calls for more Western support for Ukraine, warns of Russian alliances

PARIS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called on Western allies to provide Ukraine with further support “to change the trajectory of the conflict” with Russia.

Speaking ahead of a meeting Tuesday in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, Rutte said: “We must do more than just keep Ukraine in the fight."

He added: "We need to raise the cost for Putin and his enabling authoritarian friends by providing Ukraine with the support it needs to change the trajectory of the conflict.”

Rutte, who did not provided details about the military equipment and weapons needed for that purpose, said it was “very concerning” that Russia was getting “closer to its allies, China, Iran and North Korea.”

The comments come as the U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.

“Russia, working together with North Korea, Iran and China, is not only threatening Europe... but also the Indo-Pacific and North America. So we must stand together,” Rutte said.

Macron reiterated his call for a “strong Europe” as being key to NATO but also as a response to “what the U.S. administration rightly expects” in an apparent reference to the election of Donald Trump for a second term.

During his first in the White House, Trump pushed the European NATO allies to spend more on defense, up to and beyond 2% of gross domestic product, and to be less reliant on U.S. military cover.

"For too long, Europe has avoided bearing the burden of its own security, believing that it could, in a way, receive the dividends of peace without any time limit," Macron said.

France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte prior to a meeting at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, welcomes NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte prior to a meeting at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte deliver statements during their meeting at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (Manon Cruz/ Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte shake hands during their meeting at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (Manon Cruz/ Pool Photo via AP)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte delivers his speech during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (Manon Cruz/ Pool Photo via AP)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte delivers his speech during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (Manon Cruz/ Pool Photo via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man who worked for the U.S. government has been charged with leaking classified information assessing Israel's earlier plans to attack Iran, according to court papers filed Wednesday.

The man, identified as Asif William Rahman, was arrested by the FBI this week in Cambodia and was due to make his first court appearance in Guam.

He was indicted last week in U.S. court in Virginia on two counts of willful transmission of national defense information — felony charges that can carry significant prison sentences.

It was not immediately clear whether Rahman had a lawyer or which federal agency employed him, but officials say he had a top-secret security clearance with access to sensitive compartmented information.

The charges stem from the documents, attributed to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, appearing last month on a channel of the Telegram messaging app. The documents noted that Israel was still moving military assets in place to conduct a military strike in response to Iran’s blistering ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1.

Israel carried out a retaliatory attack on multiple sites in Iran in late October.

The documents were sharable within the “Five Eyes,” which are the United States, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

The emergence of the documents triggered an FBI investigation that examined how the documents were obtained — including whether it was an intentional leak by a member of the U.S. intelligence community or obtained by another method, like a hack — and whether any other intelligence information was compromised. Officials also worked to determine who had access to the documents before they were posted.

The New York Times was first to report his arrest.

FILE - The FBI's J. Edgar Hoover headquarters building is seen in Washington on Nov. 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

FILE - The FBI seal is pictured in Omaha, Neb., Aug. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)