US President Donald Trump said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin “wants to go all the way and just keep killing people,” and hinted that the United States “might” send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine to bolster Kyiv’s defenses, according to his comment made onboard Air Force One on July 5.
Speaking aboard Air Force One after his July 3 call with Moscow, Trump said he was “very unhappy” with the conversation, adding, “It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people. It’s not good. I wasn’t happy with it,” he told reporters.
Following his conversation with Putin, Trump spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing their exchange as “very, very strategic.”
“We talked about different things,” he said. When asked whether to supply Patriot batteries to Ukraine, he replied, “Yeah, we might. They’re going to need something because they’re being hit pretty hard,” Trump added.
The White House has not provided specifics on any Patriot deployment, and the US Defense Department recently paused deliveries of key systems, including Patriot missiles and precision-guided munitions, raising concerns in Kyiv. Asked if he was tougher on Russia than on Iran, Trump replied, “No, I think I’m tougher on Russia than I am on Iran”.
Trump’s comments come amid a significant uptick in Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, which have killed and wounded hundreds of civilians in recent weeks.
Earlier, Germany confirmed it was in intensive discussions with Washington to acquire additional Patriot batteries for Ukraine as Russian forces stepped up drone and missile attacks. Berlin had already sent three US-made Patriots from its reserves and planned follow-up talks in Washington on production capacities and delivery schedules.
