The Kremlin has issued a warning to the United States after President Donald Trump sent more weapons to Ukraine to aid in their fight against Russia.
Speaking during a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said he was “not happy” with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and acknowledged that Ukraine was “getting hit very hard,” per BBC News.
“We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to... They’re getting hit very hard now,” Trump said. “I’m disappointed that President Putin has not stopped.”
Trump indicated the US would primarily send “defensive weapons” to aid Ukraine’s war effort, following days of deadly Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukrainian cities, including a strike in Kyiv that claimed a third life, according to local officials.
Among the weapon systems reportedly paused last week were Patriot air defence missiles and precision artillery shells, which Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had urged the US to continue supplying.
Zelenskyy had described the Patriot systems as “real protectors of life” and warned that halting shipments would impede Ukraine’s ability to defend against escalating Russian airstrikes and front-line advances.
Late last week, Zelenskyy said he had spoken to Trump “about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies.” After the call, Zelenskyy called the conversation with Trump the best he’s had with the president.
Following the policy reversal, the Pentagon confirmed it would resume support, stating: “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.”
The announcement comes after a week of uncertainty in Kyiv, with the BBC’s Paul Adams reporting that the US move would come as a relief to Ukraine as it struggles to withstand waves of Russian attacks.
Despite Trump’s shift in support for Kyiv, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov criticized the move, stating that it would not contribute to a “peaceful settlement.” Peskov said, “It is obvious that Europeans are also actively involved in pumping Ukraine with weapons.”
Peskov added: “The Kremlin considers Trump’s actions as not in line with attempts to promote a peaceful settlement” and accused European allies of choosing a “course aimed at continuing the hostilities.”
After a recent call with Putin, Trump admitted “no progress” had been made to end the conflict, adding: “I don’t think he’s looking to stop.”
Hours after that call, Ukraine reported that Russia had fired a record 539 drones and 11 missiles, striking Kyiv and other regions including Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Chernihiv.
The war in Ukraine has now raged for more than three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, and ceasefire talks have largely stalled despite Trump’s previous attempts to broker a deal.