Trump says he's 'disappointed but not done' with Putin

U.S. President Donald Trump said he is "disappointed but not done" with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone interview with the BBC published on July 15.

"I'm disappointed in him, but I'm not done with him," Trump said of Putin, adding, "I trust almost no one."

The remarks came just hours after Trump announced plans to ramp up arms deliveries to Ukraine and to impose significant tariffs on Russia if no peace deal is reached.

During the call, Trump endorsed NATO and again warned Russia of severe consequences unless it agrees to a ceasefire in Ukraine within 50 days.

The U.S. president said he believed a deal with Moscow had been close on four separate occasions. "We'll have a great conversation. I'll say: 'That's good, I'll think we're close to getting it done,' and then he'll knock down a building in Kyiv," Trump told the BBC.

The BBC interview followed Trump's meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House on July 14, where the two leaders outlined a new joint plan to supply Ukraine with advanced U.S. weaponry.

Patriot missiles — what they are and why everyone wants them

Amid escalating Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine, simmering tensions in the Middle East, and a Europe seeking to rearm in the face of an ever-more belligerent Kremlin, one piece of military kit in particular is currently in hot demand across the globe — Patriot PAC-3 interceptor missiles. The U.S.-made Patriot air defense system is one of the few in the world that defend against ballistic missiles, which Russia regularly launches against Ukraine, and which Israel and Iran traded salvos of las

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Trump said that some Patriot air defense systems and missiles could arrive in Ukraine "within days," noting that certain NATO countries were agreeing to swap out their systems to expedite delivery.

Trump also defended NATO, calling it "the opposite of obsolete" — a contrast to his previous criticism of the alliance. In June, during the NATO summit in The Hague, NATO member states agreed to allocate 5% of their gross domestic product annually to defense and security-related expenditures by 2035.

The former NATO critic now backs a U.S.-led initiative to sell $10 billion worth of advanced weapons to European allies, being the first wave of arms designed to support Ukraine. The package reportedly includes missiles, artillery shells, and air defense systems, according to Axios.

President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the announcements in a phone call with Trump, thanking him for "willingness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings and establish a lasting and just peace."

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker said in an interview with Fox News that the move sends a clear message to Moscow.

"President Trump is a peacemaker. But if you want war, we will arm Ukraine, and Europe will pay for it," Whitaker said. "This is a great step in ultimately bringing this war to a conclusion."

The Washington Post reported, citing a single anonymous source involved in the decision, that Trump might also authorize Kyiv to use the 18 ATACMS missiles currently in Ukraine at their full range of 300 kilometers (about 190 miles). He may also allegedly supply more of these missiles.

Trump also reportedly previously considered supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, weapons capable of striking Moscow and St. Petersburg, but their delivery is not on the table at the moment. The claims could not be independently verified.

According to the Washington Post, Trump asked Zelensky in the recent call why Ukraine had not struck Moscow.

"We can if you give us the weapons," Zelensky reportedly replied. Trump is said to have responded that Ukraine must increase pressure on Putin, not just in Moscow but also in St. Petersburg.