Trump, 'disappointed' with Putin, announces Patriot missiles to be sent to Ukraine

Donald Trump capped last Sunday’s U-turn on the Ukraine war by announcing he will send Patriot air defense systems to the Zelensky government. He called the move “a bargain” for the U.S., as it will be fully reimbursed for the value of each weapon delivered. The president also expressed feeling “disappointed” with Vladimir Putin, saying he “talks nice and then bombs everybody at night.”

“We will send them the Patriots, which they desperately need. I have not agreed on the numbers yet, but they are going to have some because they need protection,” Trump told reporters at Andrews Air Force Base, according to AFP. These remarks mark a dramatic shift from the position he held when he took office in January, as well as from his decision to halt weapons shipments just two weeks ago.

"It will be business for us"

This shift comes alongside an agreement for NATO to cover the costs of the weaponry sent to Ukraine. “We’re basically going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment, and they’re going to pay us 100 percent for them,” Trump said. “It will to be business for us.”

Last week, Zelensky indicated that they were “close to reaching a multilevel agreement on Patriot missile systems and the missiles for them.”

Disappointment with Putin over ignored appeals

A key factor has been Trump’s disappointment with Putin. Speaking to reporters, the president said that his Russian counterpart “really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then bombs everybody at night.” Although Trump initially sided with many of Russia’s demands and was tough on Zelensky, the ceasefire still seems no closer now than it did then.

The past few weeks have seen Trump criticize and appeal to Putin repeatedly, yet the intensity of Russian bombardments has not lessened. In fact, recent days have witnessed particularly violent attacks, with Kremlin forces capturing new territories.

Trump willing to support bill to toughen sanctions on Moscow

This situation has led the president to consider tightening sanctions through a package currently being promoted in Congress. When asked if he would announce new sanctions against Russia, Trump replied, “Let’s see what we’re going to see tomorrow (Monday), okay?”

Hours earlier, Trump told reporters he would make a “major announcement… on Russia” on Monday, marking a day of significant diplomatic activity.