President Donald Trump expressed his concerns on Thursday regarding the level of weaponry the United States provided to Ukraine during the previous administration, marking his first public comments on the halt in certain military shipments as Russia escalates its offensive against Ukraine.
Before boarding Air Force One for a trip to Iowa, Trump stated that former President Joe Biden ’emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves.’
This statement comes as Ukraine faces a new wave of attacks, including ballistic missile threats and explosions in Kyiv, with air defense missiles and precision-guided artillery among the weapons being withheld from the country.
Despite his criticism of past shipments, Trump clarified that he has not severed ties entirely and continues to express support for Ukraine, saying, ‘We’ve given so many weapons,’ and emphasizing that ‘we are working with them and trying to help them.’
On the same day, Trump engaged in a lengthy call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing the conversation as lacking progress in resolving the ongoing war, which had been a key promise of his when he was in office.
‘I’m not happy about that,’ Trump remarked on the outcome of the discussions.
According to the Kremlin, the conversation was deemed ‘frank and constructive’ and marks the sixth publicly disclosed interaction between Trump and Putin since his return to the White House.
During the call, Putin underscored the necessity of resolving conflicts in the Middle East, including issues related to Iran, through diplomatic means.
The Kremlin adviser noted that after emphasizing his push for a swift resolution in Ukraine, Trump maintained contact with U.S. officials on the matter.
Putin, for his part, reiterated Russia’s commitment to achieving its goals in Ukraine, asserting that they intend to address the ‘root causes’ of the conflict.
Ushakov, the Kremlin adviser, stated, ‘Russia will not back down from these goals.’
In the backdrop of these discussions, Putin has framed the invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022 as a necessary action to mitigate perceived threats from Ukraine’s NATO ambitions and to safeguard the rights of Russian speakers in Ukraine.
These claims have been firmly rejected by Ukraine and its allies, with Putin insisting that any future peace agreements would require Ukraine to relinquish its NATO aspirations and concede to Russia’s territorial gains.
Interestingly, Ushakov mentioned that the suspension of some U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine was not a topic during the Trump-Putin conversation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking in Denmark after meeting with key European Union backers, indicated that he may reach out to Trump in the coming days to discuss the implications of the weapon shipment suspension.
‘I hope that maybe tomorrow, or close days, these days, I will speak about it with President Trump,’ Zelenskyy stated.
The last known call between Trump and Putin occurred on June 14, the day after Israel conducted strikes in Iran, highlighting the ongoing complexity of international relations.
The renewed communication between the leaders suggests a mutual interest in repairing the severely strained ties between the U.S. and Russia, which have reached a low point reminiscent of the Cold War era.
Ushakov also mentioned discussions about potential collaborative projects in the energy sector and space exploration, characterizing their interaction as a ‘frank, businesslike and concrete conversation.’
In a more culturally engaging remark, Putin even proposed the idea of an exchange of films that promote ‘traditional values’ shared by both nations during the Trump administration.
Additionally, on the same day as Trump’s call with Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron had his first direct conversation with the Russian leader in nearly three years, indicating a resurgence in diplomatic dialogues.
These developments come at a critical juncture in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with global implications for security, diplomacy, and international relations.
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