Zelenskyy Hails Trump Move To Boost Arms Supplies To Ukraine Amid Frustration With Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked US President Donald Trump for his “willingness to support” Kyiv hours after the US leader vowed to provide a major influx of new weapons to Ukraine and threatened Russia with “severe” new financial measures.

"We discussed the necessary means and solutions with the president to provide better protection for people from Russian attacks and to strengthen our positions," Zelenskyy said in a post on X about his July 14 phone call with Trump.

“It was a very good conversation. Thank you for the willingness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings and establish a lasting and just peace,” Zelenskyy wrote.

The Ukrainian leader’s remarks came after Trump earlier in the day threatened Moscow with "very severe" tariffs if there is no cease-fire agreement between Kyiv and Moscow within 50 days and vowed to supply Ukraine with “billions of dollars” worth of new military hardware that will be paid for by NATO members.

Trump, speaking at a White House news conference with NATO chief Mark Rutte, said he had agreed with the Western military alliance to supply the military hardware to Ukraine "within days."

The weapons will include Patriot missile systems and batteries, Trump added, noting the United States will receive money for all of the equipment it sends to NATO for use in Ukraine.

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"We are very unhappy, I am, with Russia," Trump said as part of his promised "major statement" on his newly stated policy toward Moscow after years of praising Russian President Vladimir Putin

Rutte said Britain, Germany, Finland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark would be among the countries paying for weapons to supply Ukraine, adding that “speed is of the essence here.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on July 14 said Berlin would play a "decisive role" in the new strategy.

“President Trump took an important initiative today: The US will provide Ukraine with weapons on a large scale if European partners finance it,” Merz wrote on X.

“We do this in our own interest. This will help Ukraine defend itself against Russia's bombing terror. This is the only way to increase the pressure on Moscow to finally negotiate peace. After all, we are showing that we are pulling in the same direction as security policy partners,” he added.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who was in Washington to meet with US Pete Hegseth, said Berlin had offered to buy two Patriot systems under the deal.

"Germany will continue to play a leading and reliable role in the [NATO] alliance," Pistorius said.

Pistorius added that a decision on the purchase of the sophisticated Patriot missile systems to be provided to Ukraine will come within days or weeks.

The German defense chief also said Berlin had sent a request to Washington asking for a potential purchase of Typhoon long-range missiles, which could be used in the interim before Germany and other European nations will be able to develop similar own long-range weapons.

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Trump also threatened to hit Russia on the financial front, saying he would use trade to help force an end to the war, which is now in its fourth year, adding "it's great for settling wars."

"We are going to do very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days," Trump said, adding that he was talking about secondary tariffs – meaning they could be placed on countries trading with Russia --"at about 100 percent."

He gave no further details.

Earlier in the day, US special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv for talks on procuring weapons to repel invading Russian forces.

"We discussed the path to peace and what we can practically do together to bring it closer. This includes strengthening Ukraine's air defense, joint production, and procurement of defense weapons in collaboration with Europe," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.

"And of course, sanctions against Russia and those who help it," he said, adding "it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless it's unreasonable ambitions are curbed through strength."

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Kellogg said that, in his talks with Zelenskyy, he discussed Trump’s “landmark NATO deal that will accelerate the best US made weapons to Ukraine.”

"Funded entirely by allies, it speeds delivery, supports Ukraine’s defense, strengthens NATO unity, and underscores his commitment to peace through strength."

Kyiv and cities across Ukraine have come under repeated heavy air attacks from Russia forces in recent weeks, raising the ire of Trump and other officials in Washington, who have begun questioning whether Putin wants to hold peace talks to end Europe's longest and deadliest conflict since the end of World War II.

At the same time, Ukraine’s outgunned and outmanned army is also facing pressure on the ground as Russian forces are making new efforts to drive back Ukrainian defenders along a 1,000-kilometer front line in the east of the embattled country.

Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels on July 15 to discuss the war, including the imposition of a possible 18th package of sanctions on Russia.