US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he has approved sending more defensive weapons to Ukraine, while also stating that new sanctions on Russia are being considered.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said, “We’re sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I’ve approved that.” The announcement comes as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, with both sides suffering heavy losses.
Trump also expressed his dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I’m not happy with Putin. I can tell you that much right now,” he said, pointing to the thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers who have died since the war began.
The President’s latest comments follow his earlier statement on Monday, where he acknowledged Ukraine’s growing challenges on the battlefield. Addressing reporters at the White House, Trump said, “We’re going to have to send more weapons — defensive weapons primarily?” and added, “They’re getting hit very, very hard.”
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The decision to send additional military support comes just days after the US temporarily paused some arms shipments to Kyiv. That move surprised Ukrainian officials and led to urgent calls for clarification from Washington.
Meanwhile, Trump also said he is considering whether to support a bipartisan bill in the Senate aimed at placing sweeping sanctions on Russia. The proposal has gained attention as tensions continue to rise and diplomatic efforts show little progress.
Trump recently shared his frustration about the lack of development in peace talks between the two countries. He spoke about a phone conversation he had with Putin, saying, “We talked about a lot of things, including Iran, and we also talked about the war in Ukraine. I’m not happy about that [situation]. I didn’t make any progress with him at all.”
According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, the call lasted almost an hour and included a discussion on Ukraine. Ushakov said Trump again raised the need to end hostilities, while Putin said Russia was still looking for a political and negotiated solution. The Russian President reportedly shared updates on humanitarian agreements from the second round of direct Russian-Ukrainian talks held in Istanbul.
The Kremlin also stated that Putin made it clear Russia would not abandon its objectives in the war. “Russia would strive to achieve its goals, namely the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs, the bitter confrontation that we are seeing now. Russia will not back down from these goals,” the statement read.
The leaders also discussed the situation in Iran and broader Middle East affairs, according to Ushakov. As the war continues, international focus remains on efforts to end the conflict and on how major powers, including the United States, respond to the evolving situation on the ground.
