Trump Confirms Patriot Missiles For Ukraine, Hints At Tougher Sanctions On Russia
Trump announces Patriot missile aid for Ukraine and signals possible sanctions on Russia amid fresh NATO talks and mounting pressure on Putin.
In a significant shift in the US policy on the Russian-Ukraine war, President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the United States would supply Patriot air defense systems like Ukraine. He signaled the possibility of harsher sanctions on Russia, escalating pressure on President Vladimir Putin over the ongoing war.
ALSO READ: 2 Women Killed In Shooting Spree At US Church, Suspect Shot Dead
New Weapons Deal And Rising Frustration With Putin
The announcement came ahead of what promises to be a diplomatically intense week. A US special envoy is headed to Ukraine, and Trump is scheduled to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington on Monday.
"We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need," Trump said, though he did not specify the number of systems to be deployed. “I haven't agreed on the number yet, but they're going to have some because they do need protection,” he added.
Earlier, the White House had paused certain arms deliveries to Kyiv, but in a reversal, a new deal is now on the table. Under the updated agreement, NATO would cover the cost of some of the advanced weapons provided by the US “We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military and they're going to pay us 100 percent for them,” Trump explained. “It'll be business for us,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had hinted last week that a deal on new Patriot systems was close, adding momentum to the latest developments.
Trump also voiced growing disappointment with Putin, stating: “Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening.” While Trump once believed diplomacy could work with the Russian leader, his tone has shifted in recent days as Russia continues to reject US and Ukrainian ceasefire proposals.
Sanctions Bill And The 'Sledgehammer' Strategy
Although Trump stopped short of confirming new sanctions, he teased a major development on Monday. “We're going to see what we will see tomorrow, OK?” he said, pointing to his upcoming meeting with NATO's chief.
Meanwhile, bipartisan efforts are gaining ground in the US Senate. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal are rallying behind a proposed sanctions bill that would grant Trump sweeping authority to punish Russia and any nation supporting its war machine.
The bill would empower Trump “to go after Putin's economy, and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine,” Graham said in an interview with CBS. He noted that it could allow “500 percent tariffs on any country that helps Russia,” naming China, India, and Brazil as possible targets. “This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war,” Graham emphasised.
The proposed bill would also address the sensitive legal issue of unlocking frozen Russian assets held in the US and Europe. Blumenthal noted, “The $5 billion that the United States has also could be accessed, and I think it's time to do it.”
As tensions rise and diplomatic efforts intensify, all eyes are on Washington to see how Trump’s next steps could reshape the course of the conflict.
Related Video
Breaking: Elderly Couple Found Murdered at Home in Delhi’s Shahdara, Police Probe Underway
Top Headlines
