US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to increase military assistance to Ukraine, saying that the focus is primarily on defensive weapons.

Source: Trump during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House

Details:Responding to a journalist's question about plans to send more weapons to Ukraine, Trump confirmed this.

Quote from Trump: "We're going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now. They're getting hit very hard. We're going to have to send more weapons, defensive weapons, primarily. But they're getting hit very, very hard. So many people are dying in that mess."

Details: Trump also mentioned his latest conversation with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the results of which left him dissatisfied.

"I'm disappointed, frankly, that President Putin hasn't stopped. I'm not happy about it either." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda doesn't recognise Putin as president – ed.]

Background:

• On 1 July, the White House confirmed that the Pentagon had paused the delivery of certain air defence missiles and other precision-guided munitions to Ukraine because of concerns over dwindling US weapons stockpiles.
• Ukraine's Defence Ministry said it had not received any official notification regarding a suspension or revision of the delivery schedule for US military aid and has requested a phone call with its US counterparts.
• On Friday 4 July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with Trump, seeking to convince the American leader to resume supplies and sell more weapons to Ukraine.
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that he understands the US administration's desire to prioritise its own interests, but called for continued military support for Ukraine.
• On 8 July, Politico, citing sources, reported that the suspended shipments of some US military assistance to Ukraine could resume after high-level meetings between US and Ukrainian representatives to be held in Rome and Kyiv over the coming week.

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