Remarks Prior to a Working Lunch With Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway and an Exchange With Reporters

President Trump. Thank you very much. It's a real honor to have the highly respected, the great Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway with us today, who, as you know, is—has been doing a fantastic job and truly respected throughout the world as a leader.

And thank you very much for being here. We appreciate it.

And we're going to be having a meeting in the Oval Office in a little while, where you'll be invited back, and you can ask some questions.

It's also a pleasure to have my friend who did such a good job at NATO—my great friend, right? So you really did. We started off they had no money, and they ended up having a lot of money after we said: "You've got to pay. You've got to pay up." But you did a fantastic job. And thank you very much, and I'm glad you're here.

Minister of Finance Jens Stoltenberg. Thank you.

President Trump. Glad we meet each other again and under these circumstances.

So we'll be meeting in a little while at the Oval Office, and if you have maybe one or two questions, we'll do it now. And after that, we'll go to the Oval.

Q. Mr. President——

Russia/Ukraine

Q. Mr. President, on Russia, do you still believe that Putin is serious about peace, given the events overnight in Ukraine? And if that bombing doesn't end, are you considering new sanctions on Russia?

President Trump. So we are thinking that, very strongly, that they both want peace, but they have to get to the table. We're waiting a long time. They have to get them to the table, and I think we're going to get peace. We want to save 5,000 young people. I used to say 2,500. I nay [now; White House correction] sow—say 5,000.

We have—Mr. Prime Minister, we have about 5,000 young people a week that are dying in that ridiculous war. And you know, I started out because I didn't like all the money that we were paying, and then I realized how many people were dying, and that's by far the more important element right now. I'm saying we can save thousands of people. I don't like that it takes long at all, but I think they both want to make peace. I do believe so.

There's a lot of hatred there. There's a lot of very bad blood, a lot of distrust, but I think we're going to—I hope we're going to get there for the sake of a lot of young people that are dying.

[At this point, several reporters began asking questions at once.]

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Q. Mr. President, do you have a deadline for when the parties need to——

President Trump. I have my own deadline. I have my own deadline, and we want it to be fast. And the Prime Minister is helping us. He wants it to be fast too. And I think everybody at— in this—you know, at this time, in NATO, they want to see this thing happen.

So we have a deadline, and after that, we have a—we're going to have a very much different attitude. But I think it has a very good chance of getting done.

[Several reporters spoke at once.]

Norway-U.S. Relations

Q. What can Norway do to prove that they're an important ally to the U.S.? What can Norway do to prove that to you?

President Trump. Just keep doing what they doing. We have a very good relationship with Norway. Great leader, great people. I know many of the people in Norway, and it's truly a—it's an incredible country. So all they have to do is keep doing what they're doing, I think, is probably the best answer I can give.

Yes.

[Several reporters spoke at once.]

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Q. Mr. President, as you pointed out, the former Secretary-General of NATO is here, Mr. Stoltenberg. How important is the NATO defense alliance, Mr. President? Is it sacrosanct, from your perspective?

President Trump. Well, it's a very interesting question. It's certainly very important for Europe, and, I think, without us, it wouldn't be as—nearly as powerful. And as the former Secretary General, who did a great job—can tell you, we played—I played, when I was there, a very big role in making sure that NATO is funded by the 28—at that time, they had 28 countries, including us. Of course, many of the countries weren't paid, and they ended up being paid, you would say. And the Secretary General was very nice about it, as far as I was concerned.

Other Presidents went in, they made a speech, and they left, and that kept going on. And you know, in the meantime, the—they had no money, and the United States was paying far more than its fair share. You could say that they were paying—I actually said, sometimes, it looked like a hundred percent. And it was unfair. And the two of us work very well together, and we took care of the situation.

Q. There are some NATO countries, Mr. President—there are some——

[Several reporters spoke at once.]

President Trump. Yes, please. Go ahead.

Norway-U.S. Trade

Q. Norwegian statistics are showing that the U.S. actually has a trade surplus with Norway. Are you going to be looking into that and see which of the countries are actually in a trade surplus?

President Trump. Yes, well, with the United States, almost everybody has a surplus. It's really amazing.

Q. But not according to Norwegian numbers.

President Trump. It's an amazing phenomenon. No, there's a surplus of a couple of billion dollars, I think, you have with us. I congratulate you. That's very good. [Laughter] We're going to get a little bit of that for ourselves, maybe. But they do have a surplus. Norway has a surplus.

[Several reporters spoke at once.]

Norway-U.S. Relations

Q. Mr. President, in the current tariff situation, analysts have pointed out that the U.S. actually need allies. Do you consider Norway as a possible ally in this situation?

President Trump. I think Norway has always been an ally. They've been somebody we've been very close to, very friendly with. Maybe more so now with me than other people, but I think Norway has always been a great ally, yes. Norway——

Prime Minister Støre. It's a very strange——

President Trump. Norway has been a friend.

Prime Minister Støre. That's why it's a very strange question, actually, because the U.S. is our lead ally. And we build on a relationship we—which we will talk about now, Mr. President.

President Trump. Yes.

Prime Minister Støre. But it's of high relevance, and I'm very happy that we have Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense.

President Trump. Right.

Prime Minister Støre. So this is a very strong tie.

Q. But it was a question about ally in the tariff situation, specifically.

Prime Minister Støre. Tariff situation?

Q. Yes.

President Trump. Oh, well, that's—we're talking about a little bit different subject, then. [Laughter] We're talking about a different type of ally.

No, in this case, he would be very much inclined to be an ally of Norway because he wants to make the best business deal possible. And Norway and the Norwegians are great businesspeople. They're great traders. They're great—very smart nation, very well-managed nation. Has been for a long time and, in particular, now with this leadership.

But we'll be talking about trade and other things, and I think we're going to come to a conclusion very quickly.

[Several reporters spoke at once.]

Q. Mr. Prime Minister, I was wondering whether you think that Donald Trump, for his efforts in Ukraine and otherwise, deserves to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize?

Prime Minister Støre. Well, I salute President Trump for having been—taking very important initiatives to get this conflict towards an end, which both parties deserve. We need to have a cease-fire, save lives, and move towards something which is more secure for Europe, for the people concerned. And that—on that, we work together. And I look forward to, you know, going into some details, because we are at a critical moment.

On that prize, you know, that is a committee taking care of that, which is completely working on its own terms. And I cannot comment on that.

Q. Mr. President, a question on China.

President Trump. But thank you very much for that question. [Laughter]

Q. May I ask you a question on China, sir?

President Trump. I like that question. [Laughter]

Yes, please.

China-U.S. Trade

Q. A question on China. Can you clarify with whom the U.S. is speaking with China? They're saying it's fake news that trade talks are happening.

President Trump. Well, they had a meeting this morning, so I can't tell you.

Q. Who's "they"?

President Trump. It doesn't matter who "they" is. We may reveal it later, but they had meetings this morning, and we've been meeting with China. And so I think you have—Jeff [Jeff Mason, Reuters], as usual, I think you have your reporting wrong.

Q. I'm just saying what China said, sir.

President Trump. Thank you very much. We'll see you——

White House aide. Thank you, press.

President Trump. We'll see you inside. Thank you.

President Trump's Schedule/President Trump's Affection for Norway

Q. Do you have any plans—any travel plans for coming to Norway, Mr. President? [Inaudible.]

President Trump. I would go. [Laughter] We'll all go together to Norway.

Q. Oh, yes? Me too.

President Trump. I want to go skiing. [Laughter]

Q. You think this year? You think this year?

President Trump. I love Norway. I love Norway.

Q. Why?

President Trump. It's beautiful. And beautiful people.

Q. Thank you, Mr. President.

President Trump. Thank you.