“We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to,” Trump said at the White House before a private dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “They have to be able to defend themselves."
His comments followed renewed Russian drone and missile attacks across Ukraine, which have intensified in recent days, leaving dozens dead and injured.
On Monday alone, Russian strikes killed 11 civilians and wounded over 80 more, including seven children,according to Ukrainian officials. The overnight assault involved more than 100 drones.
“They’re getting hit very hard now,” Trump said according to the New York Post. “So many people are dying in that mess.”
In a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last Friday, Trump reportedly said he had not ordered the halt in weapons shipments.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the delay in delivery involved a range of munitions, including Patriot air defense systems, 155mm artillery rounds, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, Stingers, AIM-7, and Hellfire missiles.
The Pentagon reportedly paused shipments due to concerns over the impact on US reserves.
“Defensive weapons, primarily,” Trump emphasized. “But they’re getting hit very, very hard.”
The president said he remains frustrated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s continued military actions. “I’m disappointed, frankly, that President [Vladimir] Putin hasn’t stopped,” Trump said. “I’m not happy about it.”
Zelensky, in a Telegram post Monday, detailed the scale of the attacks. He said Russia had launched 1,270 drones, 39 missiles, and nearly 1,000 glide bombs in the last week.
He also called air defense the top priority in saving Ukrainian lives and noted recent agreements with a major US defense contractor and European allies to expand production of interceptor drones.
The delayed weapons, once delivered, are expected to help defend against long-range Russian drones, including the Shahed series, which have been targeting infrastructure and civilian populations.The systems are deployed both from the ground and via F-16 fighter jets.
