A SENATOR has delivered a stark warning regarding the consequences if Vladimir Putin defies the 50-day peace deadline, suggesting he should “reach out to the Ayatollah”.
As ceasefire talks mediated by Washington hit a standstill, Russia has intensified its summer offensive efforts – a development that has angered the US President, according to Senator Lindsey Graham.
Ukrainian cities experienced explosions overnight following a series of drone and missile attacks launched by Putin, which serves as the latest indication that the leader is steering clear of peace initiatives.
And amidst the deadly chaos, Republican senator Graham made a chilling warning to mad Vlad that Russia would face the same fate as Iran if he doesn’t adhere to Trump’s 50-day ultimatum.
He said on X: “If Putin and others are wondering what happens on day 51, I would suggest they call the Ayatollah.
“If I were a country buying cheap Russian oil, propping up Putin’s war machine, I would take President Trump at his word.”
The clearest sign yet that Trump is done playing diplomatic games with Putin came on Monday.
He said had struck a deal with Nato to supply key American air defence systems and weapons to Ukraine.
Trump vowed to send weapons compromising of “everything” in his arsenal in order to get Putin back into line after weeks of the tyrant incessantly bombing Ukraine.
The US President also threatened Russia with blistering tariffs and sanctions if Putin doesn’t agree to a peace deal within 50 days.
Prior to the announcement, Senator Graham told Axios the US President was “really p****d at Putin” and revealed Trump’s move would be “very aggressive”.
Don has since shared that the first Patriot systems intended for Ukraine “are already being shipped” to allies.
Upon being asked which countries the missiles are coming from, Trump said they were arriving from Germany.
He added that he hadn’t spoken to Putin in two days, where he confirmed his intention to send weapons to help Ukraine – including the deadly Patriot systems.
Another of the proposed weapons which could be included in the package deal is America’s joint air-to-surface standoff cruise missiles (JASSM).
On Tuesday, however, he ruled out sending long-range missiles to Ukraine despite reports claiming the US would give Kyiv weapons that could strike as far as Moscow.
Upon being asked whether the US would deliver deep-strike munitions to the war-torn nation, he clarified: “No, we’re not looking to do that.”
He also warned Ukraine against attacking the Russian capital, adding: “I’m on nobody’s side. You know whose side I’m on? Humanity’s side.”
The President has spent the first seven months of his White House return urging both sides to come to the negotiating table.
But a snarling Putin has always declined and instead ramped up his ground and aerial offensives across Ukraine.
And the Kremlin’s reaction to Trump’s latest posture proves he may be set to snub the 50-day deadline.
They are said to have mocked the warning, with sources revealing they may now demand even more Ukrainian territory instead of laying down arms.
Russia will instead keep terrorising Ukrainian civilians during the seven-week period instead of surrendering in any form, they added.
A bombshell report claimed that Trump asked Zelensky if he can “make them [Russia] feel the pain” when the pair held a phone call at the start of the month.
The US President asked: “Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? Can you hit St Petersburg too?”, according to the Financial Times, citing two sources.
Zelensky responded: “Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons.”
But Trump soon pushed back on the reports of him enquiring about Ukraine’s next targets.
He told reporters that he has actually warned Zelensky to not even think about attacking Moscow if he ever wants the conflict to end.
Trump did not directly mention the FT report but the White House did.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt argued Trump’s words were taken out of context as the President “was merely asking a question, not encouraging further killing”.
She continued, in a statement to the BBC: “He’s working tirelessly to stop the killing and end this war.”
It comes after the US President shared with the broadcaster he was “disappointed but not done with” mad Vlad.
Asked if he trusted Putin, Trump said after a long pause: “I trust almost nobody to be honest with you.”
Overnight, Ukraine’s Air Force made numerous alerts that Russian drones were targeting Kyiv alongside other regions – with a warning even issued of the threat of ballistic missile strikes.
Eight people were wounded in strikes on Ukraine’s central region of Vinnytsia, as large-scale fires erupted after civilian industrial facilities were hit.
Three people were also wounded in an attack on Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv.
And a 17-year-old boy has been left fighting for his life after missile and drone strikes destroyed an industrial building in south-central Kryvyi Rig – the birthplace of brave leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
Oleksandr Vilkul, the mayor of the city, wrote on Telegram: “This has never happened before.
“A ballistic missile and 28 Shaheds simultaneously.”
Meanwhile three people were tragically killed in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, local authorities say.
What have experts said of Trump’s sending long-range weapons to Ukraine?
By Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter
DONALD Trump sending long-range weapons to Ukraine could be a game-changer for the war by helping halt Vladimir Putin’s nightly blitzes, experts said.
Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a decorated British Army commander, said the shipment of these long-range missiles would have profound “psychological and physical effects” on Ukraine.
Mr de Bretton-Gordon told The Sun: “These weapons can strike Moscow – over 400 miles from the border. That allows the Ukrainians to strike drone factory production and ammunition sites, and others.
“So this will have both psychological as well as physical effects.
“People in Moscow will realise that they potentially could be targeted.
“And when you also add to it the American bombings on Iranian sites that were supposed to be impregnable, it shows that American missile and drone technology rather superior to the Russian air defence system.”
The former army chief said these weapons will put real pressure on Russia, adding: “The metric has now changed and Trump’s decision could make a huge difference.”
Ex-military intelligence officer Colonel Philip Ingram told The Sun how these long-range weapons could help strike Russian missile and drone launchpads – the ones that are used to launch nightly attacks on Ukraine.
He said: “The Ukrainians are already attacking to hit Russian military logistics, defence industry bases.
“And with these sophisticated weapons, they will have increased capability of doing so.
“It will impact the ability of the Russians to prosecute these increasingly large drone and rocket attacks on a nightly basis.
“And then that’s the best way for the Ukrainians to stop it.”
