After the shock announcement in recent days about a halt to American military supplies, Donald Trump has promised that weapons will return to Ukraine because "it has to defend itself" . Vladimir Putin "talks a lot of bullshit, he's killing too many people" , is the accusation without half measures launched against the Russian leader, together with a new threat of further sanctions against Moscow . And if the White House's backtracking on weapons was greeted with displeasure by the Kremlin, at the same time uncertainty still reigns in Volodymyr Zelensky's entourage about the actual contribution that will come from Washington: the stockpiles of Patriots available to the Pentagon are in fact reportedly reduced to the bare minimum.

Trump, in his last phone call with Zelensky, had already partly reassured his interlocutor on military aid, explaining that he was not the one who decided to suspend supplies. Confirmation that the US will not abandon Kiev to its fate came from the tycoon himself, answering journalists during Benyamin Netanyahu's visit. "We will send more weapons. We have to do it. They must be able to defend themselves. They are being hit very hard now," were the words of the White House tenant. Addressed above all to Putin: "I am not happy at all. I am disappointed, frankly, that he has not stopped."

Then the tone rose even further, with the undiplomatic use of the term "bullshit" compared to Putin's speeches made during all the phone calls between the two leaders. That is to say, the Kremlin does not seriously want to negotiate peace, as demonstrated by the incessant bombings throughout Ukraine and the intensity of the ground offensive. The weapons halt in Kiev, which were part of the package approved by Joe Biden, had been decided by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth as part of a review of the stockpiles after the raids on Iranian nuclear sites. And from what has emerged, the US would only have 25% of the Patriots available for all their military plans. At this point, therefore, it is not clear how many of these invaluable anti-missile systems will arrive in Ukraine.

According to Axios, citing anonymous sources, Trump promised to immediately deliver 10 interceptors to Zelensky and began discussions with Germany, which is considering purchasing more Patriots from Washington. The deliveries originally scheduled for the Ukrainians, however, were for 30 units. In this uncertainty, Kiev asked its ally for more details, stating that it is "of fundamental importance" to maintain "stability, continuity and predictability" in the supply of weapons. Zelensky later announced that he had instructed his defense minister and the chief of the General Staff "to intensify all contacts with the American side". Because "political declarations and decisions must now be implemented as quickly as possible to protect our people and our positions". And this - he stressed - "primarily concerns air defense".

In Moscow, the news of the new weapons to Ukraine was greeted with cold blood. It is a strategy "not in line with attempts to promote a peaceful solution" and that on the contrary "favors in every way the continuation of hostilities", stressed Dmitry Peskov. The Kremlin spokesman, however, did not point the finger at the American president, emphasizing his "efforts to start a direct negotiation between Russia and Ukraine". Moscow's version is that Kiev's continuous rearmament is due to a "line chosen by the Europeans".

(Online Union)

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