NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte will meet President Donald Trump this week. Their talks come after Trump announced plans to sell weaponry to NATO allies. These allies can then pass the arms on to Ukraine.
Rutte will visit Washington on Monday and Tuesday. He will hold discussions with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Members of Congress will also join the meetings.
Trump told reporters Sunday night, “I’m gonna have a meeting with the secretary-general who’s coming in tomorrow.” Furthermore, he added that the U.S. will send “various pieces of very sophisticated weapons.” Additionally, Trump said NATO allies will pay the U.S. “100% for them.”
Meanwhile, Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong Trump supporter, said Sunday the Ukraine conflict is nearing a turning point. He also noted that Trump’s interest in supporting Ukraine is growing. Interestingly, during his campaign, Trump called ending the war a top priority but had previously dismissed aid as a waste.
Graham explained on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” “In the coming days, you’ll see weapons flowing to Ukraine at a record level to help them defend themselves.” He warned Russian President Vladimir Putin made a major miscalculation by underestimating Trump. Graham predicted a massive push soon to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
Rutte’s visit follows Trump’s tease about a “major statement” on Russia expected Monday. Ukraine faces intense air assaults from Russian forces and struggles to hold its ground. Trump declined to provide details about his upcoming announcement. “We’re going to see what we will see tomorrow,” he said.
Both Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut appeared on CBS. They spoke about increasing support for Ukraine. Lawmakers and European officials consider tapping into $300 billion in frozen Russian assets. These funds, seized early in the war by Group of Seven countries, could help Ukraine.
Clearly, weapons flowing to Ukraine will rise sharply. U.S. and NATO leaders plan to deepen military and financial support. This approach signals a shift in policy and a growing bipartisan consensus.
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