Trump pledges patriot defense systems to Ukraine, warns Russia of tough tariffs
At a military air base on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine.
A day later, during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, he warned that Russia would face “very severe tariffs” if a peace deal with Ukraine is not reached within 50 days.
Trump did not specify how many batteries would be sent, but the announcement aligns with America’s recent support for Ukraine. Last week, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirmed that the U.S. military had resumed military supplies. Ukraine said it needs 10 new Patriot systems to defend against ongoing attacks.
Trump said secondary tariffs of about 100 percent would be imposed on countries that continue to do business with Russia if Russia does not meet Trump’s 50-day deadline.
Some reports suggest that Trump is also considering sending offensive weapons to Ukraine, something he has not done before. So far, only defense systems like the Patriot have been sent by Trump.
When asked if Trump’s military support would include sanctions against Russia, Trump declined to comment. The president has, however, made strong critiques of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent actions.
“Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening,” Trump said.
Trump’s recent offer of support for Ukraine represents a significant shift from his earlier interactions with the Ukrainian president and government at the start of his second term. During a meeting intended to finalize a Ukraine-U.S. minerals agreement on February 28, Trump and Vice President JD Vance repeatedly interrupted and criticized Zelenskyy.
On March 3, the Trump administration paused military aid and intelligence to Ukraine, quickly resuming support on March 11 after Ukrainian leaders accepted the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.
In his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised to bring a quick end to the war in Ukraine.
Despite his attempts, Putin has rejected peace agreements, including a violation of the temporary ceasefire.
Trump has repeatedly expressed disappointment in Putin’s actions.
“I am very disappointed with President Putin. I thought he was somebody that meant what he said,” Trump said.
