CNN
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President Donald Trump stated Monday he plans to ship further defensive weapons to Ukraine after his administration paused sure shipments final week.
“We’re going to ship some extra weapons. We have now to – they’ve to have the ability to defend themselves,” Trump stated forward of a dinner together with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu.
“They’re getting hit very exhausting. We’re going to must ship extra weapons,” Trump added. “Defensive weapons, primarily, however they’re getting hit very, very exhausting.”
The president’s newest remarks come after a senior White Home official informed CNN final week the Trump administration was pausing some weapons shipments to Ukraine, together with air protection missiles. The choice got here after a overview of navy spending and American help to overseas nations that was signed off by Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth.
White Home deputy press secretary Anna Kelly stated on the time that the choice was made “to place America’s pursuits first.”
Some US officers insinuated the overview of support to Ukraine was associated partially to the Pentagon’s push to give attention to China and be ready for potential future battle within the Pacific – a difficulty prioritized by the Pentagon’s coverage chief, Elbridge Colby.
“The Division of Protection continues to offer the President with strong choices to proceed navy support to Ukraine, constant together with his aim of bringing this tragic warfare to an finish. On the identical time, the Division is rigorously inspecting and adapting its method to reaching this goal whereas additionally preserving US forces’ readiness for Administration protection priorities,” Colby stated in an announcement on the time of the pause.
Russia welcomed the halt in sure shipments to Ukraine, claiming – with out offering any proof – it was made as a result of the US didn’t have sufficient weapons.
“At President Trump’s route, the Division of Protection will ship further defensive weapons to Ukraine to make sure the Ukrainians can defend themselves whereas we work to safe an enduring peace,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated in an announcement Monday. “Our framework for POTUS to judge navy shipments throughout the globe stays in impact and is integral to our America First protection priorities.”
The US has been the greatest single donor of navy support to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, supplying Ukraine with air protection techniques, drones, rocket launchers, radars, tanks and anti-armor weapons, resulting in considerations over dwindling US stockpiles.
Trump beforehand halted all shipments of navy support to Ukraine in March following a heated Oval Workplace argument with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump resumed support flows to Ukraine a couple of week later.
The choice to ship further weapons additionally comes after Trump spoke individually final week with each Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky. He stated afterward his discuss with Putin was disappointing and there was “no progress” in the direction of a ceasefire.
In the meantime, Zelensky in latest weeks has been pleading with Western allies to bolster his nation’s aerial defenses after intensifying Russian airborne assaults. Russia launched a document variety of drones at Ukraine in a single day on Friday, simply hours after the Trump-Putin cellphone name.
Trump later Friday stated the US was contemplating Ukraine’s request for extra Patriot protection techniques after a “excellent” cellphone name with Zelensky. The Ukrainian president stated on Saturday that newest dialog with Trump was the very best and “most efficient” he has had.
Trump on Monday reaffirmed his displeasure with the Russian chief, saying: “I’m not proud of President Putin in any respect.”
This story has been up to date with further info.
CNN’s Kaanita Iyer contributed to this report.
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