President Donald Trump, who previously criticized both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for prolonging the war, now appears to be directing his frustration more pointedly at the Kremlin.
Speaking over the weekend, Trump teased a “major statement” on Russia set for Monday. “You’ll be seeing things happen,” he told reporters. “I think I’ll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday.”
This announcement follows reports from Axios that Trump plans to unveil an “aggressive” weapons package for Ukraine. Bloomberg also noted that new sanctions targeting Russia could be on the table. The move comes just days ahead of a scheduled meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who has reportedly made overtures to win favor with Trump during a recent summit in The Hague.
A New Tone on Putin
Trump’s rhetoric on Putin has notably hardened. Once boasting of a cordial relationship with the Russian leader, the president sounded far more critical in recent remarks.
“Putin really surprised a lot of people,” Trump said. “He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening. I thought he was someone who meant what he said. He talks beautifully, but then bombs people at night. We don’t like that.”
Earlier in the week, Trump went further, telling CNN, “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin. He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.”
Despite the tough talk, the Kremlin on Friday acknowledged Trump’s planned statement but showed no indication of pulling back in Ukraine. Drone and missile strikes continued in the country’s western region, killing at least two people, according to Reuters.
Patriot Missiles to Ukraine — But Not on U.S. Dime
Although Trump had long resisted sending major military aid to Ukraine, he confirmed over the weekend that the U.S. would provide Patriot missile systems. However, he clarified that the U.S. would not pay for the systems directly. Instead, they would be handed over to NATO, which would then coordinate support for Ukraine.
“The U.S. is not footing the bill,” Trump said. “We’re supplying the tools, but others are stepping up to pay for them.”
As anticipation builds over Trump’s Monday announcement, the shift in tone toward Putin marks a notable change in his foreign policy stance—and one that could reshape how the U.S. responds to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
