Trump to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine as relationship with Putin sours

By Rebecca Henrys

US President Donald Trump has said that he will send Patriot air defence missiles as they're 'desperately' needed.

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The announcement comes as US relations with Russia worsen, with President Trump set to make a "major statement... on Russia" on Monday.

He added that the missiles are needed because Russian President Vladimir Putin "talks nice but then he bombs everyone in the evening."

“I’m disappointed in Russia, but we’ll see what happens over the next couple of weeks."

At this point, the number of missiles to be sent to Ukraine has not been confirmed by the US, however, President Trump has said that the EU will reimburse the cost.

Read more: Poland scrambles jets as Russia bombards Ukraine with massive overnight attack killing at least four

Read more: Trump confirms plans to send US air defence systems to Ukraine

"Trump is really pissed at Putin. His announcement tomorrow is going to be very aggressive," Senator Lindsey Graham told Axios.

Senator Graham has introduced the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 bill which will impose "bone-breaking sanctions" on Putin as well as a 500 per cent tariff on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil and other goods.

Keith Kellogg, US Special Envoy to Ukraine and Russia, arrived in Kyiv on Monday for his first visit since President Trump's inauguration.