On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that his administration plans to send defensive weapons to Ukraine, enabling the conflict-stricken nation to defend against Russia’s ongoing invasion. This decision marks a shift from last week’s stance when the Pentagon stated it was halting such deliveries.
The announcement coincided with reports of Russian assaults in Ukraine, which left at least 11 civilians dead and over 80 others injured, including seven children, according to officials on Monday.
“We have to,” Trump stated when asked at the beginning of a dinner at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “They need to defend themselves. They’re under severe attack right now. We’re planning to send more weapons — primarily defensive ones.”
President Donald Trump said the U.S. would be sending defensive weapons to Ukraine so it could defend itself from Russia’s ongoing invasion, days after the Pentagon said it was pausing such deliveries. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
It came as Russia launched its largest aerial attack of the war, nearly 500 drones and 60 missiles.
In response to Trump’s comments, the Kremlin said it would need time to clarify the specifics of U.S. weapons aid to Ukraine with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there were many contradictory statements about U.S. weapons supplies to Ukraine, though it was clear that European weapons deliveries were continuing.
“Obviously, supplies are continuing, that’s clear. Obviously, the Europeans are actively involved in pumping Ukraine full of weapons,” Peskov said, according to Reuters. “As for what kind of supplies and in what quantity Ukraine continues to receive from the United States, it will still take time to clarify this definitively,” he added.
Peskov said that Moscow appreciated Trump’s efforts to initiate direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and that there was significant potential for restarting Russian-U.S. trade and economic relations.
Firefighters work at the site of buildings hit by Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Poltava, Ukraine, July 3, 2025. (REUTERS/Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy)
Separately, Russia’s transport minister Roman Starovoit was found dead in what authorities said was an apparent suicide — news that broke hours after the Kremlin announced he had been dismissed by Putin, per The Associated Press. Russian media have reported that his dismissal could have been linked to an investigation into the embezzlement of state funds allocated for building fortifications in the Kursk region, where he served as governor before being appointed transportation minister.
The firing of Starovoit followed a weekend of travel chaos — airports grounded hundreds of flights due to the threat of drone attacks from Ukraine. Russian officials did not give a reason for his dismissal.
