Donald Trump lashes out at Vladimir Putin, accuses him of talking ‘bulls**t' as tensions mount over long-running Ukraine conflict

Sky News AU

5 hours ago

President Donald Trump has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of talking 'bulls**t' and announced he had approved sending a raft of US defensive weapons to Ukraine.
Trump announced on Monday US time that his administration would be sending more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones to help the country repel Russian advances.
On Tuesday, the President confirmed he had approved such a move.
"We're sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I've approved that," he said.
However, Trump took the feud a step further a day later and accused Vladimir Putin of talking 'bulls**t' about Ukraine, adding the Russian President's retorts were 'meaningless".
"I'm not happy with Putin. I can tell you that much right now," Trump said at a meeting with cabinet officials at the White House, noting that Russian and Ukrainian soldiers were dying in the thousands as the long-running conflict continues.
"We get a lot of bullsh**t thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth ... He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless."
He reiterated that he was 'very unhappy' with Putin since their phone call last week made no progress on the Ukraine peace deal the President pushed for since returning to power.
Trump said he was also considering whether to support a bill in the Senate that would impose steep sanctions on Russia over the war.
"I'm looking at it very strongly," he said.
The bill, whose lead sponsors are Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, would also punish other countries that trade with Moscow, imposing 500 per cent tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.
Trump's decision to send more weapons to Ukraine is a significant backflip on Washington's announcement last week that it was seeking to halt some arms transfers.
'Putin is not treating human beings right. He's killing too many people. So we're sending some defensive weapons and I've approved that,' he said.
Trump is reportedly mulling immediately sending 10 patriot interceptor antimissile systems to Ukraine.
He also urged Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth to push defence contractors to increase the production of armaments.
'We have to step them up, Pete, and let them make it at a much higher rate,' Trump said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday he had ordered an expansion of contacts with the US to ensure critical deliveries of military supplies, primarily air defence.
"We currently have all the necessary political statements and decisions and we must implement them as quickly as possible to protect our people and positions," he said.
"These are critical deliveries that mean saving lives and protecting Ukrainian cities and villages. I expect results from these contacts very soon. And this week, we are preparing formats for meetings of our military and political teams."
- With Reuters