International Desk : President Donald Trump launched a scathing rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, accusing him of hypocrisy over the ongoing war in Ukraine. “Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening,” Trump said while speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews.

The remark came as Trump announced that the United States would send Patriot air defense systems to Kyiv in response to Russia’s continued aggression. “We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need,” he said, though he did not specify how many would be delivered.

Trump’s comments reflect growing frustration with Putin’s actions amid an intensifying Russian offensive, now in its fourth year. Despite earlier hopes of diplomacy and cooperation, Trump’s stance has visibly hardened. Last week, he accused Putin of throwing "bullshit" at Washington and signaled potential new sanctions.

"We`re going to see what we will see tomorrow, OK?" Trump said when asked about sanction plans, teasing a “major statement on Russia” expected Monday. The statement is set to coincide with a high-level meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House and a new diplomatic mission to Ukraine by a U.S. envoy.

Adding to the pressure on Moscow, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Sunday pushed forward a powerful sanctions bill. The legislation would authorize Trump to impose punitive tariffs—up to 500 percent—on countries aiding Russia’s war efforts, including major economies like China, India, and Brazil. Senator Lindsey Graham described the bill as a “sledgehammer” aimed at crippling Putin’s war machine.

“This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war,” said Graham. President Zelensky of Ukraine praised the measure, calling it a meaningful step toward peace.

Meanwhile, discussions are underway about unlocking billions in frozen Russian assets in the West to support Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction efforts. Senator Richard Blumenthal emphasized that $5 billion held by the U.S. could be redirected to Ukraine, stating, “I think it’s time to do it.”

Though Trump initially avoided escalating sanctions when returning to office in January, recent developments suggest a major shift. With mounting bipartisan support and increased Russian aggression, the U.S. appears poised to take a firmer stance.

Source: AFP