From the White House, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on Monday a major new agreement with the United States to deliver massive amounts of military aid to Ukraine. “It means Ukraine will receive truly significant quantities of military equipment, including air defense systems, missiles, and ammunition,” Rutte said after meeting with President Donald Trump.
Trump detailed that the package would include Patriot missile systems and ammunition worth billions of dollars. The United States will produce and ship the weapons, while European countries will cover the costs. “We’re going to manufacture top-tier weapons in the U.S. and send them directly to NATO for fast delivery to Ukraine,” Trump explained. “We’ve never done anything like this at this scale before,” he added.
The announcement comes amid Trump’s growing frustration over the lack of progress in peace talks. During the same meeting, he warned that unless a peace agreement is reached within 50 days, he will impose 100% tariffs on Russia or secondary sanctions targeting buyers of Russian energy. “It’s very simple. And that’s how it’s going to be,” he declared.
The strategy marks both a logistical and political shift in Washington’s approach to the war. “Speed is essential,” Rutte emphasized. Trump echoed the urgency: “We can’t wait. More civilians die every day. This is an urgent response to Putin’s madness.”
Germany has already confirmed its participation and will finance two additional Patriot systems. Its Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, traveled to Washington to coordinate the next steps with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
The escalation in military support comes in response to a fresh wave of Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian cities. According to the UN, June was the deadliest month for civilians since the start of the war, with 232 killed and over 1,300 injured. “Putin fires missiles at night while talking about peace during the day. Enough,” said Trump. “We’re not going to stand by and watch him bomb Kyiv every week.”
Kyiv has been urgently requesting more air defense systems to counter increasing Russian drone and missile attacks. “We’re giving the Ukrainians the best equipment out there. This will make a real difference,” Trump said. The goal, he added, is to ensure weapons “reach the front lines at record speed.”
This new military aid package, along with the threat of economic retaliation, marks a significant shift in Trump’s stance on the war. During his campaign, he repeatedly claimed he would solve the conflict “within 24 hours” and promised to secure peace “before even taking office.” But since returning to power in January, his tone has changed.
In February, he held separate calls with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, and shortly after publicly urged Putin to stop bombing Kyiv. “Vladimir, STOP!” he wrote on Truth Social.
Relations with Zelensky have also soured. In March, Trump called him a “dictator without elections” and later, during a White House meeting, accused him of “not being ready for peace.” He then canceled the signing of a minerals agreement and asked his team to have the Ukrainian president escorted out.
In April, the White House temporarily halted arms shipments, sparking friction with the Pentagon. Trump reversed the decision days later, criticizing the pause: “Putin is killing too many people. We can’t stand still.”
Now, with a new agreement in place, Trump has set a 50-day countdown for a peace deal. If no progress is made, economic consequences will follow. “We’re going to impose 100% tariffs or secondary sanctions. That’s it,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will begin a tour of Europe this week to coordinate the agreement’s implementation and hold diplomatic talks with key allies. The next round of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia is scheduled to take place in Istanbul, where Moscow may present new proposals for a ceasefire.
