President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will provide additional military support to Ukraine, following recent gains claimed by Russian forces in the ongoing conflict.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said, “We’re going to have to send more weapons — defensive weapons primarily.” He noted that Ukrainian forces are “getting hit very, very hard,” and expressed dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he was “not happy” with the Kremlin leader.
This pledge comes just days after Washington paused certain arms deliveries to Ukraine—a move that reportedly took Ukrainian officials by surprise and raised concerns in Kyiv about the reliability of ongoing US support. The delay in deliveries occurred amid a review of American defense priorities and foreign aid programs.
The announcement also follows Moscow’s claim that Russian troops have taken control of Dachne, a village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.
This area, known for its mining industry, has been under growing pressure from Russian air and missile attacks. Ukraine’s military, however, has denied that Russian forces have established a presence in the region, stating that Ukrainian troops successfully “repelled” enemy advances, including operations near Dachne.
Ukrainian military analyst Oleksiy Kopytko described the current battle in Dnipropetrovsk as “difficult,” but stressed that Ukrainian defenders are holding firm. He also noted that Russia appears to be trying to create a buffer zone in the area.
Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five regions—Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea—that Moscow claims as part of Russia. Still, recent actions suggest that the Kremlin is looking to push its control further into Ukrainian territory. Russia previously said its troops had entered the Dnipropetrovsk region for the first time last month.
Meanwhile, Kyiv launched a drone strike on a Russian ammunition factory near Moscow in response to a series of Russian missile and drone attacks. Russia had also targeted Ukraine’s military recruitment centers in its latest assault.
On the diplomatic front, Trump continues to push for peace talks, having reached out to Putin to discuss potential negotiations. However, the Russian president remains firm in his demands, insisting that Ukraine must give up more land to bring the war to a close.
The Biden administration had earlier committed more than $65 billion in military support to Ukraine, a figure that Trump had criticized. Since returning to office in January, Trump has not announced any new aid packages for Ukraine, further fueling uncertainty in Kyiv.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky recently stressed the need for strong air defense systems, calling them the “top priority for protecting lives.” He also said that Ukraine is relying on its partners to “fully deliver on what we have agreed.”
In southern Ukraine, the city of Mykolaiv was shaken by explosions early Tuesday. Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych wrote on Telegram that there was still an ongoing “threat of drones.” Mykolaiv’s regional governor Vitaliy Kim reported a fire caused by shelling and said a 51-year-old man was injured in the incident.
