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By Amanda Castro and Jenna Sundel
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President Donald Trump lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, telling reporters, "We get a lot of bulls*** thrown at us by Putin," and dismissing the Russian leader's friendliness as "meaningless."
"He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless," Trump said.
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The comments came as Trump confirmed the U.S. would resume sending weapons to Ukraine, reversing a brief pause in shipments.
Why It Matters
On Friday, Trump told reporters that he was unsure if he could help bring the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine to an end.
"I don't know. I can't tell you whether or not that's going to happen," Trump said.
Throughout Trump's campaign leading up to the 2024 presidential election, he said he could end the conflict on his first day in office.
What To Know
On Monday, Trump told reporters that he is "disappointed, frankly, that President Putin hasn't stopped."
The president also said the U.S. will be sending Ukraine more weapons, just days after the Pentagon announced a pause in shipments for a "capability review."
Trump said Ukrainian troops "have to be able to defend themselves."
"They're getting hit very hard. We're going to have to send more weapons – your defensive weapons, primarily," Trump said.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters at a July 2 briefing that the purpose of the review was to "ensure U.S. military aid aligns with our defense priorities."
Parnell said in a statement on Monday that the Department of Defense would send additional weapons to Ukraine at the directive of the president.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy to Putin on the Security Council of Russia, criticized the move in a social media post on Tuesday.
"The American is once again riding his favorite political seesaw," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram page on Tuesday morning, originally in Russian.
The president spoke with Putin on a call Thursday, with Trump later telling reporters he was "not happy" about their discussion on the war with Ukraine.
"I didn't make any progress with him today," Trump said.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump, at a Cabinet meeting: "That was a war that should have never happened, and a lot of people are dying, and it should end."
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy to Putin on the Security Council of Russia, on Telegram: "How should we react to this? The same way as before. The same way our warriors do. The same way the Supreme Commander-in-Chief does. Not at all. Keep pursuing the goals of the Special Military Operation. Take back our land. Work for Victory."
What Happens Next
Parnell said the weapons would be sent to Ukraine "to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops."
"Our framework for POTUS to evaluate military shipments across the globe remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities," Parnell said.
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