Washington: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to visit Washington next week for a critical meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, as the alliance explores new ways to streamline arms support for Ukraine amid ongoing Russian attacks. This will be Rutte’s first official meeting with Trump since taking over the NATO helm, and it comes at a time when Kyiv’s allies are grappling with delays in weapons deliveries and escalating battlefield pressures.
Rutte’s visit will also include high-level talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The central focus of these discussions is expected to be a proposed plan allowing NATO countries to expedite the transfer of U.S.-made weapons from their own stockpiles to Ukraine, bypassing slower direct U.S. shipments. This potential strategy, which requires Washington’s formal approval, would empower nations such as Germany, Poland, and the Baltic states to arm Ukraine more rapidly with systems already in their possession.
President Trump, who has recently signaled a shift toward a more transactional NATO stance, hinted earlier this week at a “major announcement” related to arms delivery mechanisms. Sources close to the administration suggest that Trump may endorse a NATO-wide framework for third-party transfers of U.S.-origin weapons, enabling Kyiv to receive critical military assets without further Congressional bottlenecks.
For Rutte, the trip is more than a diplomatic formality. It is viewed as a key test of transatlantic cooperation under shifting U.S. leadership. His reputation as a consensus-builder and pragmatic leader will be essential in navigating both the operational logistics of alliance support and the political sensitivities of Trump's NATO expectations. The backdrop of intensified Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities adds urgency to these talks.
The NATO chief’s visit also aims to reassure Eastern European allies that collective defense commitments remain intact. As over 700 drones struck Ukrainian territory in a single day last week, NATO defense planners have stressed the importance of faster, more flexible support mechanisms to ensure Kyiv can withstand renewed offensives.
With the next NATO Council meeting scheduled later this month, Rutte’s Washington discussions are likely to set the tone for the alliance’s evolving role in Ukraine. If successful, the visit could mark a pivotal moment in the alliance’s ability to act swiftly, collaboratively, and decisively in the face of continued Russian aggression.