Trump gives 50-day ultimatum to Russia

US President Donald Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine Monday, and threatened to hit buyers of Russian exports with sanctions unless Russia agrees a peace deal in 50 days, a major shift in policy brought on by frustration with Moscow.

- REUTERS

Sitting side-by-side with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters that he was disappointed in Russian President Vladimir Putin. Billions of dollars in weapons would be distributed to Ukraine, he said.

“We're going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they'll be sent to NATO,” Trump said, adding that Washington's NATO allies would pay for the weapons.

The weapons would include Patriot air defence missiles, which Ukraine has urgently sought to defend its cities from Russian air strikes.

“It’s a full complement with the batteries,” Trump said.

“We're going to have some come very soon, within days... a couple of the countries that have Patriots are going to swap over and will replace the Patriots with the ones they have.”

Some or all of 17 Patriot batteries ordered by other countries could be sent to Ukraine “very quickly”, he said.