8 July 2025, 12:01
Donald Trump has said the US will send more weapons to Ukraine. Picture: Getty.
Picture:
Getty
Donald Trump has said the US will send more weapons to Ukraine, just days after air defence shipments to the war-torn country were paused.
Speaking at the White House alongside a US and Israeli delegation, Trump said he was “not happy” with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and that Ukraine was “getting hit very hard”.
“We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to – they have to be able to defend themselves,” he said.
“They’re getting hit very hard. We’re going to have to send more weapons.
“Defensive weapons, primarily, but they’re getting hit very, very hard.”
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President Donald Trump, second left, meets with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, in the Blue Room of the White House on Monday. Picture: Alamy.
Picture:
Alamy
On Monday, the Pentagon said it will send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine at the request of Trump, reversing a Pentagon decision a week ago to pause air defence shipments which were already heading to the Ukrainian military.
In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the weapons would “ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure that the killing stops”.
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said at the time that the decision to pause shipments to Ukraine was made “to put America’s interests first”.
Among the armaments reported to have been placed on pause last week were Patriot air defence missiles and precision artillery shells.
Trump’s U-turn comes after days of relentless Russian drone and missile barrages on Ukrainian cities, including the country’s capital Kyiv.