Trump Says US Gave Ukraine So Many Arms, Talks Peace With Putin/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump criticized Biden for sending too many weapons to Ukraine as he confirmed a pause in US arms shipments. In a phone call, Putin insisted on Russia’s goals in Ukraine despite openness to talks. Ukraine’s Zelenskyy hopes to discuss the aid halt with Trump soon.
Ukraine Conflict And US Policy Quick Look
- Trump blames Biden for “emptying” US weapon stockpiles
- Putin, Trump discuss Ukraine, Iran, Middle East tensions
- Kremlin calls talk “constructive” but no Ukraine resolution
- US pauses missile, artillery shipments amid stockpile concerns
- Zelenskyy seeks discussion with Trump on arms aid
- Putin insists Ukraine must abandon NATO ambitions
- Trump signals continued, limited support for Ukraine
- Previous Trump-Putin call followed Israeli strikes on Iran
Trump Criticizes Past Ukraine Weapons Aid, Discusses War With Putin
Deep Look
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States had already given Ukraine too many weapons under his predecessor, offering his first public remarks on the current pause in some arms shipments as Russia intensifies its latest offensive.
Speaking with reporters before leaving Washington for Iowa, Trump criticized former President Joe Biden for depleting U.S. stockpiles.
“Biden emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves,” Trump said.
The pause affects key weaponry, including air defense missiles and precision-guided artillery, even as Ukraine endured fresh attacks overnight. Explosions rocked Kyiv, punctuated by the sound of machine gun fire and drones.
Although Trump indicated frustration with the level of past U.S. aid, he stopped short of ruling out further support.
“We’ve given so many weapons,” he said. “We are working with them and trying to help them.”
Earlier Thursday, Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he described as “pretty long” but ultimately unproductive in ending the conflict.
“I’m not happy about that,” Trump said.
Kremlin Hails “Frank and Constructive” Talks
Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov described the conversation as “frank and constructive,” marking the sixth publicly acknowledged discussion between Trump and Putin since Trump returned to the White House.
According to Ushakov, the two leaders also discussed the Middle East, with Putin stressing that all disputes, including those involving Iran, should be resolved “exclusively by political and diplomatic means.”
The United States conducted airstrikes in Iran on June 22 amid ongoing tensions tied to Israel’s conflict with Tehran over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
No Discussion of Arms Pause in Call
On Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump reiterated his desire to quickly halt the fighting, while Putin expressed Moscow’s readiness for talks with Kyiv, recalling past negotiations in Turkey that produced limited humanitarian agreements.
Yet Putin remained firm that Russia will continue pursuing its objectives in Ukraine, which include blocking the country’s NATO ambitions and solidifying territorial gains.
“Russia will not back down from these goals,” Ushakov said.
Despite the focus on Ukraine, Ushakov confirmed that the suspension of certain U.S. weapons shipments was not raised during the leaders’ call.
Zelenskyy Wants His Own Conversation With Trump
In Denmark on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hopes to discuss the paused shipments with Trump in the coming days.
“I hope that maybe tomorrow, or close days, these days, I will speak about it with President Trump,” Zelenskyy told reporters after meeting with European Union officials.
The last known Trump-Putin call before Thursday took place on June 14, a day after Israeli strikes against Iran.
Renewed dialogue between the U.S. and Russia signals both leaders’ interest in repairing relations strained to Cold War-era lows amid the war in Ukraine.
Ushakov noted that Trump and Putin also discussed developments in Syria and expressed interest in potential cooperation on energy projects and space exploration. He added that Putin even proposed the idea of a cultural exchange involving films promoting “traditional values shared by us and the Trump administration.”
Earlier this week, Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke directly by phone for the first time in nearly three years.
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