Donald Trump has mentioned the US will ship extra weapons to Ukraine after an announcement final week that Washington would halt some shipments of essential arms to Kyiv.
Throughout a gathering with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump mentioned he was “not pleased” with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and that Ukraine was “getting hit very exhausting”.
Trump additionally indicated the US would ship primarily “defensive weapons” to assist Ukraine’s battle effort.
Among the many armaments reported to have been positioned on pause final week have been Patriot air defence missiles and precision artillery shells. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky had appealed for the shipments to proceed, describing US Patriot methods as “actual protectors of life”.
The White Home mentioned final week the choice had been made “to place America’s pursuits first” in response to a defence division evaluation of army assist to different nations.
Trump’s obvious change of coronary heart got here after days of lethal Russian drone and missile barrages on Ukrainian cities, together with the capital Kyiv. One assault on the town final Thursday has claimed a 3rd life, based on native officers.
Trump mentioned late on Monday that Kyiv wanted to have the ability to defend itself.
“We will ship some extra weapons. We’ve got to… They’re getting hit very exhausting now,” he mentioned throughout a information convention with Netanyahu.
“I am disillusioned that President Putin has not stopped,” he added.
The Pentagon responded with a short assertion, saying that “at President Trump’s path, the Division of Protection is sending extra defensive weapons to Ukraine to make sure the Ukrainians can defend themselves whereas we work to safe an enduring peace and make sure the killing stops”.
After per week of uncertainty, the US transfer will come as a reduction to Ukraine, says the BBC’s Paul Adams in Kyiv.
Kyiv had warned that the transfer to pause some shipments would impede its capacity to defend towards escalating airstrikes and Russian advances on the entrance traces.
Zelensky mentioned late final week that he had spoken to Trump “about alternatives in air defence and agreed that we’ll work collectively to strengthen safety of our skies”.
The battle in Ukraine has been raging for greater than three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Ceasefire talks have additionally largely stalled after a number of makes an attempt by Trump to dealer a deal between the 2 events.
Following a name with Putin final week, Trump mentioned that “no progress” to finish the battle had been made, including “I do not assume he is seeking to cease”.
Hours after the decision, Ukraine mentioned Russia fired a file 539 drones and 11 missiles focusing on Kyiv, but in addition hitting the areas of Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Chernihiv.
Zelensky has known as on worldwide allies – notably the US – to extend stress on Moscow and impose larger sanctions.
