US President Donald Trump has confirmed that Washington will resume military support to Ukraine, just days after a controversial pause on the delivery of critical weaponry sparked alarm in Kyiv and among Western allies.
Speaking during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and acknowledged the increasing toll of Russian attacks on Ukraine. “I’m not happy with Putin,” Trump said, adding that Ukraine was “getting hit very hard” and needed to be able to defend itself.
The announcement comes amid a surge in deadly Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukrainian cities. One of the worst barrages, last Thursday in Kyiv, has now claimed at least three lives, according to local authorities. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly appealed for continued Western support, warning that delays in arms supplies could leave the country vulnerable to further escalation.
Last week, the US administration temporarily halted the shipment of advanced systems, including Patriot air defence missiles and precision artillery shells. The White House said at the time that the pause was part of a broader reassessment of American military support abroad, asserting the need to “put America’s interests first.”
However, Trump’s latest comments indicate a policy shift, with the former president now pledging renewed military aid, albeit primarily in the form of “defensive weapons.”
The Pentagon confirmed the development in a brief statement issued Monday night: “At President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the decision, noting that he had previously spoken with Trump “about opportunities in air defence” and that both sides had agreed to collaborate on bolstering Ukraine’s skies against Russian attacks. He had earlier described the US-supplied Patriot systems as “real protectors of life.”
The war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, continues with little sign of resolution. Multiple attempts by Trump to mediate a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv have failed to yield progress. Following a recent phone call with Putin, Trump admitted there had been “no progress” towards ending the conflict, stating: “I don’t think he’s looking to stop.”
Just hours after that call, Russia launched a record assault involving 539 drones and 11 missiles, targeting Kyiv as well as the regions of Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Chernihiv.
Zelensky has renewed calls for increased international pressure on Moscow, urging allies particularly the US to enforce tougher sanctions and maintain military assistance to resist further Russian advances.
