Washington, 8 July 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump on Tuesday delivered a sharp rebuke of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a day after authorizing new defensive weapons shipments to Ukraine.

"We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin," Trump said during remarks at the White House. "He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless."

"Putin is not treating human beings right. He's killing too many people," Trump continued, as he explained his decision to approve further US military aid.

On Monday, the Department of Defense announced that the Trump administration was reversing course and would send additional defensive weapons to Kiev on the president's orders.

The move follows Washington's temporary pause on deliveries of certain promised weapons, including anti-aircraft systems, to Ukraine.

With Western help, Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for more than three years. The US has tried to broker a 30-day ceasefire, but while Kiev agreed to the proposal, Putin set a number of preconditions.

In recent weeks, Moscow has stepped up its campaign to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences through sustained missile and drone attacks.

During his election campaign, Trump frequently touted his relationship with Putin and claimed he could end Russia's unprovoked invasion within 24 hours.

Photo: EPA