Trump says US will send more weapons to Ukraine

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on July 7 said the US will send more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones, to help the war-torn country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances.

Washington’s decision to

halt some weapons shipments to Ukraine

prompted Kyiv to warn that the move would crimp its ability to fend off Russia’s air strikes and battlefield advances, while drawing criticism from Democrats and some of Mr Trump’s fellow Republicans.

“We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House at the start of a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“They’re getting hit very hard, now,” he added. “We’re going to have to send more weapons, defensive weapons primarily.”

In a statement, the US Defence Department later said it would send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine at Mr Trump’s direction, to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while efforts continue to secure a lasting peace.

The Pentagon said its initiative to evaluate military shipments around the world stayed in effect.

On July 4, Mr Trump told reporters that Ukraine would need Patriot missiles to defend itself, but he did not mention them again specifically on July 7. The Pentagon statement gave no details on the weapons to be shipped to Ukraine.

After

a telephone call with Mr Trump

on July 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had agreed to work on increasing Kyiv’s capability to “defend the sky” as Russian attacks escalated.

The leaders had discussed joint defence production, purchases and investments, he added.

Ukraine has been asking Washington to sell it more Patriot missiles and systems that it sees as key to defending its cities from intensifying Russian air strikes.

Germany said it is in talks on buying Patriot air defence systems for Ukraine to bridge the gap. REUTERS