‘Putin talks nice…then he bombs everybody in evening': Donald Trump says, ‘US will send Ukraine Patriot defense systems'

Mint

2 days ago

US President Donald Trump said that he was 'disappointed' in the Russian president, as he grows increasingly exasperated with Putin.
"Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening," said Trump, as reported by AFP.
Earlier this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was 'close to reaching a multi-level agreement on new Patriot systems and missiles for them.'
When Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, he expressed confidence in his ability to negotiate with the Russian president to bring an end to the war, choosing not to escalate sanctions, unlike several European allies.
However, Russia has consistently rejected the ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States and Ukraine.
In recent days, Trump has increasingly expressed frustration with Vladimir Putin, and on Sunday, he signalled that he may now be open to strengthening sanctions, as support builds in Congress for a more robust deterrent package.
When asked about whether he would announce any sanctions against Russia, Trump responded, 'We're going to see what we will see tomorrow, OK?' and repeated plans to meet with Rutte, AFP reported.
Earlier on Sunday, US senators touted a bipartisan bill that would arm Trump with "sledgehammer" sanctions to use against Russia.
The sanctions bill would allow Trump 'to go after Putin's economy, and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine,' Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told broadcaster CBS news.
It 'would give President Trump the ability to impose 500 percent tariffs on any country that helps Russia,' said Graham, adding that those could include economies that purchase Russian goods like China, India or Brazil.
'This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war,' said Graham.
'Without a doubt, this is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty,' Zelensky said about the proposed bill in an X post.
Trump further said Washington would send Patriot air defence systems to Kyiv and hinted at new sanctions on Russia, once again voicing displeasure with Russian leader Vladimir Putin over Moscow's war in Ukraine.
"We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need," Trump said Sunday, without specifying how many weapons he would send to Ukraine.
Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening.
"I haven't agreed on the number yet, but they're going to have some because they do need protection," he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, as he returned from watching the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey.
Key Takeaways Trump's frustration with Putin highlights shifting US attitudes toward Russia's aggression.
The announcement of sending Patriot systems indicates a commitment to supporting Ukraine's defense.
Bipartisan support for sanctions suggests a growing consensus on the need for a stronger response to Russian actions.