Trump says US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine, as senators ready to hand him 'SLEDGEHAMMER' against Russia

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (Jul 13) said Washington would send Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine to help the war-torn nation fight off Russian invasion. The announcement comes after days of uncertainty and as Trump's relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin soured. Just two weeks ago, the US publicly stated that it would pause some arms deliveries to Kyiv. This comes as bipartisan momentum builds in the US Senate for sweeping new sanctions, with reports suggesting that senators were on the path to arming Trump with a "sledgehammer" bill to use against Moscow.

Patriot missiles for Ukraine; Trump's disappointment for Putin

Talking to reporters, Trump said the US "will send them Patriots, which they desperately need," adding that Ukraine would "pay 100 per cent" for the weapons under a new NATO-coordinated arrangement. However, the POTUS did not specify how many missiles would be sent to Ukraine. "I haven't agreed on the number yet, but they're going to have some because they do need protection," he told reporters as he once again repeated that he was "disappointed" with the Russian leader. "Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening," said the disgruntled US president.

NATO to foot the bill?

Trump said the weapons shipment would be part of a new deal where NATO would pay Washington for some of the advanced military aid it sends to Ukraine. "We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military, and they're going to pay us 100 per cent for them," Trump said.

The announcement came ahead of a scheduled Monday meeting between Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, where the US president said he would make a "major statement... on Russia."

US Congress's "sledgehammer" gift to Trump could affect India. Here's how

Meanwhile, US lawmakers have unveiled a bipartisan sanctions bill that would arm Trump with sweeping authority to hit Russia and its trade partners with harsh economic penalties. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who introduced the bill alongside Democrat Richard Blumenthal, said it would serve as a "sledgehammer" to break Putin's war economy. It would allow Trump "to go after Putin's economy, and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine," Graham told CBS News. He revealed that "This congressional package... would give President Trump the ability to impose 500% tariffs on any country that helps Russia". This includes economies that purchase Russian goods, like India, China or Brazil.

Appearing to back the bill, Trump, in a conversation with NBC, said, "It's a bill that the Senate is passing that very respectfully lets the president do whatever he wants, as you know," he said, adding "In other words, it's at my option if I want to use it. They're going to pass a very major and very biting sanctions bill, but it’s up to the president as to whether or not he wants to exercise it."