President Trump said Monday 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.
The president said the shipments will consist of “defensive weapons, primarily,” saying Ukraine is “getting hit very hard” and “so many people are dying in that mess.”
“At President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement later Monday night. “Our framework for POTUS to evaluate military shipments across the globe remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities.”
The United States has provided Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in weapons and other assistance since February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country, according to the Council on Foreign Relations think tank.
Last week, the White House confirmed it had decided to halt some shipments to Ukraine. A White House official said the pause was part of a broader review of weapons transfers to other countries. A U.S. official told CBS News the administration was concerned about military stockpiles falling too low.
In comments to reporters last week, Mr. Trump said his administration is still sending weapons to Ukraine, but former President Joe Biden “emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves.”
Mr. Trump spoke with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Mr. Trump told reporters he was “very disappointed” with the Putin call, saying he “didn’t make any progress” with the Russian leader.
Mr. Trump also said Monday he’s “not happy with President Putin at all.”
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said his call with Mr. Trump was “very important and fruitful,” adding the two leaders “agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies.”
Mr. Trump has pressed Russia and Ukraine to strike a deal to end their three-year war.
But his relationship with both leaders has been rocky at times. Mr. Trump — who has expressed skepticism about Ukraine aid — accused Zelenskyy in April of prolonging the conflict, and the administration briefly paused military aid to Ukraine in March, after a televised Oval Office meeting-turned-argument between the American and Ukrainian leaders. Mr. Trump has also lashed out at Putin over Russian strikes on Ukraine.
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