In a bold move, the U.S. has announced that billions of dollars in weapons aid, including urgently needed Patriot air defence systems, are heading to Ukraine. Speaking from the Oval Office with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed deep disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin over stalled ceasefire efforts.
Trump warned that without a ceasefire deal reached within 50 days, the U.S. will impose "severe tariffs" on Russia, including secondary tariffs of up to 100 percent on Russian goods. Lawmakers from both U.S. parties are supporting a bill that could see tariffs soar to 500 percent on any country buying Russian oil.
Several NATO allies—Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada—have shown strong support for rearming Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his readiness to support Ukraine in its struggle for peace amid ongoing drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The move has drawn mixed reactions. While former Pentagon official Evelyn Farkas believes the new measures might pressure Russian military leaders to negotiate, a Russian Defense Committee chair warned that the missile supply could have little impact on the frontline dynamics. Adding to the debate, Professor Li Haidong of China Foreign Affairs University noted that the U.S. policy shift might escalate the conflict, leaving Europe at a crossroads between rising tensions and the risk of a broader crisis.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called for an immediate ceasefire to lay the groundwork for a long-term political solution in line with international law. In a scenario that feels straight out of a high-stakes thriller, the global community watches closely as events unfold. Stay tuned for more updates! 🚀
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U.S. to send weapons to Ukraine, threatens sanctions on Russia
cgtn.com
