Trump says US must send more weapons to Ukraine, days after pausing aid
US president cites Ukraine getting ‘hit very hard’ and expresses growing frustration with Russia’s Putin
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States would have to send more weapons to Ukraine, just days after ordering a pause in critical weapons deliveries to Kyiv.
The comments by Trump appeared to be an abrupt change in posture after the Pentagon announced last week that it would hold back delivering to Ukraine some air defence missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons because of what US officials said were concerns that stockpiles had declined too much.
“We have to,” Trump said. “They have to be able to defend themselves. They’re getting hit very hard now. We’re going to send some more weapons – defensive weapons primarily.”
The pause had come at a difficult moment for Ukraine, which has faced increasing – and more complex – air barrages from Russia during the more than three-year-long war.
The move last week to abruptly pause shipments of Patriot missiles, precision-guided GMLRS, Hellfire missiles and Howitzer rounds and weaponry took Ukrainian officials and other allies by surprise.