As Ukraine awaits stalled US weapons, Trump says he's 'helping a lot' in war with Russia
U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 6 that his administration is "helping a lot" when it comes to Ukraine, defending his approach to the ongoing war.
"I am helping Ukraine. I'm helping it a lot," Trump told reporters when asked in Washington why the U.S. does not support Ukraine as strongly as it supports Israel.
The comment follows a growing outcry in Kyiv over the U.S. Defense Department's decision to pause deliveries of key weapons, including Patriot air defense missiles and precision-guided munitions.
Ukrainian officials have warned that the delay leaves the country more vulnerable to intensified Russian missile and drone attacks, which have killed and injured hundreds of civilians in recent weeks.
While Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end the war and support Ukraine, his administration has not imposed new sanctions on Russia since he took office in January and has yet to approve additional military assistance packages.
Instead, the Trump administration has prioritized military action in the Middle East. The U.S. launched air strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran on June 21, a move critics say stands in contrast to Washington's cautious posture toward Moscow.
Speaking on Air Force One on July 5, Trump expressed frustration over his July 3 phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people," Trump said.
Trump also spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 4 in what the U.S. president later described as a "very strategic" call. Trump said the two discussed Ukraine's urgent need for air defenses.
"They're going to need something because they're being hit pretty hard," Trump said, adding that supplying Patriot systems was a possibility.
Despite those comments, there have been no new authorizations for weapons deliveries, and Trump's administration has continued to avoid direct economic pressure on Moscow.
Two rounds of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine held in Istanbul in May and June led only to prisoner exchanges, with no breakthrough on ending hostilities. Moscow has maintained maximalist conditions while rejecting calls for an unconditional ceasefire.
