Bridgewater (US), July 13: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to meet President Donald Trump this week, following the US leader’s announcement of plans to sell NATO allies weaponry that it can then pass on to Ukraine. Rutte will be in Washington on Monday and Tuesday and will hold talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as well as members of Congress. The visit comes as Trump teased that he would make a “major statement” on Russia on Monday and as Ukraine struggles to repel massive and complex air assaults launched by Russian forces.
Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said there is growing consensus on Capitol Hill and among European officials about tapping some of the $300 billion in Russian assets frozen by Group of Seven countries early in the war to help Ukraine. Rubio said that some of the US-made weapons that Ukraine is seeking are deployed with NATO allies in Europe. Those weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the US.
French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said that European officials have been making the case to the Trump administration to bolster air defense capabilities with any coming packages. France is in a “capacity hole” and will have to wait until next year before being able to provide Ukraine new ground-air missiles.
Trump is also facing calls from Republicans and Democrats as well as European allies to support legislation in the Senate that aims to cripple Russia’s oil industry and hit Moscow with US sanctions for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The legislation, sponsored by Graham and Blumenthal, has overwhelming support in the Senate but Republican leadership has been waiting for Trump to give the green light before moving ahead with it. (AP)
