GEOFF BENNETT: Another issue being discussed# at the White House today, the war in Ukraine.## During their meeting in the Oval Office, German# Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged President Trump## to increase pressure on Russia.

But Mr. Trump# made no such commitments and instead compared## Ukraine and Russia to two fighting children# who need to work out their differences.

Nick Schifrin reports.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Today, in the Oval Office, an# attempt to tie the U.S. .. FRIEDRICH MERZ, German Chancellor:# This is the birth certificate of## Donald Trump's grandfather, born# in 1869 close to Bad Duerkheim.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The U.S. support of Western Europe## against the Nazis as a reason for# the U.S. to side with Ukraine.

FRIEDRICH MERZ: May I remind you# that we are having June 6 tomorrow?## This is D-Day anniversary, when the# Americans once ended a war in Europe.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United# States: That was not a pleasant day for you?

FRIEDRICH MERZ: No, that was not a pleasant... (CROSSTALK) DONALD TRUMP: This was not a... FRIEDRICH MERZ: This was the libera.. DONALD TRUMP: That's true.

FRIEDRICH MERZ: .. this war and ending this war.

We are# looking for more pressure on Russia.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But more than three years# after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine,## President Trump today suggested# the war should maybe continue.

DONALD TRUMP: Sometimes, you see two# young children fighting like crazy.## They hate each other and they're fighting in# a park.

And you try and pull them apart.

They## don't want to be pulled.

Sometimes, you're# better off letting them fight for a while## and then pulling them apart.

There's some# additional fighting that's going to go on.

NICK SCHIFRIN: President Trump also said he# hadn't read a bipartisan bill sponsored by## Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal# that would impose sanctions on Russia and its## trading partners, and any future sanctions# could be Imposed both on Russia and Ukraine.

DONALD TRUMP: When I see the moment where it's not# going to stop, and I'm sure you're going to do the## same thing, we will be very, very, very tough.# And it could be on both countries, to be honest.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Merz became chancellor of# a center-right coalition last month.

He's## promised to help Ukraine build its own# weapons and increase Germany's defense## spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product.

That's the same goal NATO defense# ministers negotiated today in## Brussels to spend 3.5 percent# on defense, plus 1.5 percent on## infrastructure.

Secretary of Defense Pete# Hegseth said NATO members had no choice.

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. Defense Secretary: We're here# to continue the work that President Trump started,## which is a commitment to 5 percent defense# spending across this alliance, which we## think will happen, we think has to happen,# by the summit at The Hague later this month.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But not all of NATO's 32 countries## are on board.

Spanish Defense# Minister Margarita Robles.

MARGARITA ROBLES, Spanish Defense# Minister: We think we are able to## accomplish these capability targets# for Spain with the 2 percent of GDP.

NICK SCHIFRIN: U.S. officials say those plans# endorsed today born from estimates that Russia## is rebuilding its defense industrial base for# war beyond Ukraine.

NATO hopes to be able to## deploy 300,000 troops to Eastern Europe# within six months should Russia attack.

The U.S. currently has 80,000 troops based in## Europe and could reduce that# number, Hegseth hinted today.

PETE HEGSETH: So, there are reasons why# we have troops in certain places and we## respect and understand that.

It's also# prudent that we review that force posture## in real time alongside our allies and# partners to make sure it's right-sized.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But NATO Secretary-General# Mark Rutte expressed confidence in the## U.S.' European presence, given# the threat posed by Russia.

MARK RUTTE, NATO Secretary-General: We all know# we will be safe for the next couple of years,## but then we need to use those years# to learn Russian if we don't do this.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Today, it is only Ukraine# preventing Russia's advance.

A defense## official tells "PBS News Hour" this weekend's# attack by Ukrainian drones destroyed about a## dozen Russian bombers and damaged about a dozen# more.

That's less than Ukraine's public estimate.

In their phone call yesterday, President## Trump warned Russian President# Vladimir Putin not to respond.

DONALD TRUMP: I said, don't do it.

You# shouldn't do it.

You should stop it.

But,## again, there's a lot of hatred.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Merz hoped to convince# President Trump today to pressure## Russia.

But, in Trump's words, the# children will continue to tussle.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin.