NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's visit to the White House came on the day that Trump promised to deliver a "major statement" on Russia, AFP reported.

Trump launched a bid at rapprochement with Putin shortly after starting his second term in January as he sought to honor his election campaign promise to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.

His pivot towards Putin sparked fears in Kyiv that he was about to sell out Ukraine, especially after Trump and his team berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office in February.

But Trump has shown growing anger and frustration with Putin in recent weeks as the Russian leader, instead of halting his three-year invasion, instead stepped up attacks.