Trump to satisfy with NATO secretary normal amid plan to promote weapons to Ukraine

President Trump is about to satisfy with NATO Secretary Basic Mark Rutte this week on the heels of the U.S. chief saying plans to promote NATO allies weapons that it may well cross on to Ukraine.

In a press release, NATO mentioned Rutte shall be in Washington on Monday and Tuesday and also will meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth and members of Congress. 

CBS Information reached out to the White Home for added remark.

Sen. Lindsey Graham confirmed on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that he and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal shall be assembly with Rutte on Monday. 

“A turning level concerning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is coming,” Graham mentioned. 

Whereas NATO’s assertion didn’t state a motive for Rutte’s journey, it comes after Mr. Trump teased final week that he would make a “main assertion” on Russia on Monday, as Ukraine struggles to repel huge and complicated air assaults launched by Russian forces. 

The president additionally hinted that his administration will ship extra defensive weapons to Ukraine amid its struggle with Russia, days after pausing some weapons shipments.

“We will ship some extra weapons. We’ve to. They’ve to have the ability to defend themselves,” Mr. Trump advised reporters throughout a White Home occasion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening.

Mr. Trump advised reporters Sunday the U.S. could be sending extra Patriot missiles to Ukraine, however that he hadn’t but determined what number of.

Graham mentioned on “Face the Nation” to “keep tuned for a plan the place America will start to promote to our European allies large quantities of weapons that may profit Ukraine.”

“The concept of America promoting weapons to assist Ukraine may be very a lot in play,” Graham mentioned. “We have given Ukraine so much. We give them the cash, we give them navy help. We now have a minerals settlement with Ukraine that is value trillions of {dollars}. So, I do not need to get forward of the President, however keep tuned about seized property. The Europeans need to restrict the curiosity on the property to go to Ukraine.” 

Rubio mentioned Friday that a few of the U.S.-made weapons that Ukraine is searching for are deployed with NATO allies in Europe. These weapons could possibly be transferred to Ukraine, with European international locations shopping for replacements from the U.S., he mentioned.

“It is so much sooner to maneuver one thing, for instance, from Germany to Ukraine than it’s to order it from a (U.S.) manufacturing unit and get it there,” Rubio advised reporters final week throughout a go to to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Mr. Trump can also be going through calls from Republicans and Democrats, in addition to European allies, to help laws within the Senate that goals to cripple Russia’s oil business and hit Moscow with U.S. sanctions for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The laws, partly, requires a 500% tariff on items imported from international locations that proceed to purchase Russian oil, gasoline, uranium and different exports. It might have an unlimited impression on financial behemoths China and India, which account for roughly 70% of Russia’s vitality commerce.

Graham mentioned he and Blumenthal have help for “congressional sanctions with a sledgehammer” that may “go after” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s economic system and “all these international locations who prop up the Putin struggle machine.”

“This congressional bundle that we’re would give President Trump the flexibility to impose 500% tariffs on any nation that helps Russia, and props up Putin’s struggle machine,” Graham mentioned. “He can dial it up or down. He can go to 0%, to 500%. He has most flexibility. However we’re going after the individuals who maintain Putin in enterprise and extra sanctions on Russia itself. That is actually a sledgehammer out there to President Trump to finish this struggle.”

Blumenthal mentioned this can be a “crucial second” for these sanctions and “bringing down this sledgehammer at this second was emphasised by the entire European allies who have been on the assembly that Sen. Graham and I attended in Europe.”

Elsewhere, a number of diplomatic sources advised CBS Information that Mr. Trump is contemplating authorizing recent funding for Ukraine for the primary time since he took workplace in January.

The sources indicated the brand new funding could possibly be meant to ship a message to Russia. U.S. officers advised CBS Information Mr. Trump has $3.85 billion in leftover Biden-era presidential drawdown authority sitting at his fingertips, which could possibly be used to ship American navy tools to Ukraine. Former officers additionally advised CBS Information the president has the authority to grab round $5 billion in overseas Russian property and direct the funds to Ukraine, although neither he nor former President Joe Biden has used that energy.

Congress has been ready to behave on the laws, sponsored by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democrat Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, for a while.

The invoice has overwhelming help within the Senate, however Republican management has been ready for Trump to offer the inexperienced gentle earlier than shifting forward with it. The White Home had expressed some reservations in regards to the laws.

Margaret Brennan

contributed to this report.