Trump to meet with NATO secretary general amid plan to sell weapons to Ukraine

Source: CBS News/AP

July 13, 2025 / 12:33 PM EDT


President Trump is set to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this week on the heels of the U.S. leader announcing plans to sell NATO allies weapons that it can pass on to Ukraine. In a statement, NATO said Rutte will be in Washington on Monday and Tuesday and will also meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and members of Congress.

CBS News reached out to the White House for additional comment. Sen. Lindsey Graham confirmed on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that he and Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal will be meeting with Rutte on Monday. "A turning point regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine is coming," Graham said.

While NATO's statement did not state a reason for Rutte's trip, it comes after Mr. Trump teased last week that he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday, as Ukraine struggles to repel massive and complex air assaults launched by Russian forces.

The president also hinted that his administration will send more defensive weapons to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, days after pausing some weapons shipments. "We're going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves," Mr. Trump told reporters during a White House event with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday night.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-nato-secretary-general-mark-rutte-meeting-ukraine-russia/