STORY: Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima hosted a gathering of global leaders at the NATO summit in The Hague on Tuesday (June 24).

The Dutch Royals also welcomed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who warned European NATO members on Tuesday that they risked being attacked by Russia if it was not defeated in Ukraine.

The NATO summit in the Netherlands, a two-day gathering is intended to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that NATO is united, despite the U.S. president's past criticism, and determined to expand and upgrade its defences to deter any attack from Moscow.

NATO was founded by 12 Western countries in 1949 to resist the threat from the communist Soviet Union.

Russia denies any plan to attack the alliance, which now boasts 32 members, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "largely a wasted effort" to assure the grouping of this because it was determined to demonise Russia.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: NATO LEADERS BEING GREETED BY DUTCH KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER AND DUTCH QUEEN MAXIMA / SOUNDBITES FROM KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER AND NATO SECRETARY GENERAL MARK RUTTE

COMPLETE SCRIPT TO FOLLOW

SHOWS: THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (JUNE 24, 2025) (NATO - Access all)

1. DUTCH KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER AND DUTCH QUEEN MAXIMA GREETING U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP

2. DUTCH ROYALS GREETING UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY

3. DUTCH ROYALS GREETING POLAND'S OUTGOING PRESIDENT, ANDRZEJ DUDA, AND HIS WIFE, AGATA KORNHAUSER-DUDA

4. DUTCH ROYALS GREETING GERMAN CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ

5. DUTCH ROYALS GREETING CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER, MARK CARNEY, AND HIS WIFE, DIANA FOX

6. DUTCH ROYALS GREETING ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, GIORGIA MELONI

7. DUTCH ROYALS GREETING BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, KEIR STARMER

8. DUTCH ROYALS GREETING TURKISH PRESIDENT, RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, AND HIS WIFE, EMINE ERDOGAN

9. DUTCH ROYALS GREETING FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, AND HIS WIFE, BRIGITTE MACRON

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (JUNE 24, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

10. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF STILLS OF NATO LEADERS POSING FOR FAMILY PHOTO

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (JUNE 24, 2025) (NATO - Access all)

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH KING, WILLEM-ALEXANDER, SAYING:

"The greatest victory is the triumph of peace. This motto seems to me a perfect fit for our alliance too, almost 80 years after the founding of NATO. The Queen and I are delighted to be hosting you tonight in this particular room."

12. LEADERS TOASTING AND APPLAUDING

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English)NATO SECRETARY GENERAL, MARK RUTTE, SAYING:

"We have gathered at a crucial time for global security. The world is a dangerous place. We are confronted with profound security threats that span from the Euro-Atlantic to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific. But I'm absolutely confident that together with the leaders in this room tonight, we will emerge stronger and make our countries and the world safer."

14. LEADERS STANDING UP