praise for the United Nations and Nato, which he said was "the strongest alliance the world has ever known".
Afghanistan, the US and Nato, which still has 13,000 troops in Afghanistan, are highly critical of the army's refusal to end this sanctuary.
Hutton described the question of more troops for Afghanistan as a "defining issue" for the future of Nato, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this spring.
Russia's president would love to see the end of Nato, which he considers a hostile force expanding on his doorstep, and most in the Baltic states believe he resents their independence.
Such a prospect is alarming the US and Nato, which said this week it absolutely ruled out direct intervention in a war that nobody seems to want and most seem to fear.
It would not be wise to weaken the European wing of Nato, which would make the US feel insecure, and then have a really strong European security institution.
"Missile defence," he told me, "is a very important step towards re-invigorating the core collective defence foundation of Nato, which all the allies should appreciate".
Nato, which the pro-Moscow media has accused of driving the conflict in Ukraine to undermine Russia, has established an information centre in Latvia with a similar goal.
Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of Nato, which the US subsidises greatly!" Mr Trump tweeted.
Very insulting, but perhaps Europe should first pay its fair share of Nato, which the US subsidizes greatly," Trump tweeted last week on his way to Paris.
