WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday (Jul 14) told Russia to resolve its war in Ukraine within 50 days or face severe new economic sanctions, as he announced a major arms deal with NATO to support Kyiv's defences.

"We're very, very unhappy" with Russia, Trump told reporters during a meeting at the White House with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

"We're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent," he said. Trump added that these would be "secondary tariffs" targeting Russia's remaining trade partners, aiming to further isolate Moscow amid ongoing Western sanctions.

MAJOR ARMS DEAL WITH NATO

Trump and Rutte also unveiled an agreement under which NATO will purchase weapons from the United States, including Patriot air defence systems, and distribute them to Ukraine.

"This is billions of dollars worth of military equipment... going to NATO, and that's going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield," Trump said.

Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, said Ukraine would receive "massive numbers" of weapons under the deal.

Trump, who began his second term in January, had previously attempted rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, promising to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office.

However, his stance has hardened in recent weeks, especially as Russia intensified its aerial assaults.

"I don't want to say he's an assassin, but he's a tough guy," Trump said of Putin.

Last week, Trump teased a major Russia announcement for Monday. On Sunday, he confirmed that the United States would deliver Patriot systems to Ukraine, reversing an earlier plan to pause some weapons transfers.

UKRAINE WELCOMES SUPPORT AMID ESCALATION

Rutte’s White House visit followed a NATO summit in The Hague last month where he described Trump as "daddy", drawing headlines.

Meanwhile, Russia has launched record drone and missile attacks, with UN figures showing June had the highest civilian casualties in three years.

Trump's announcement came as his special envoy Keith Kellogg met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

Zelensky welcomed the "productive meeting" and thanked Trump for "important signals of support and the positive decisions for both our countries".

"We discussed strengthening Ukraine's air defence, joint production, and procurement of defence weapons in collaboration with Europe," Zelensky said.

In the war-torn east, a Ukrainian soldier who identified himself as Grizzly, welcomed the promised Patriot systems: "Better late than never... Thanks to the Patriots they are giving us, our families will be safer."

Russian forces said they had seized two more villages in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions on Monday. Ukrainian officials also reported that three civilians were killed in strikes on Kharkiv and Sumy.

Separately, Zelensky proposed appointing economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko as Ukraine’s new prime minister. Svyrydenko said the country was facing a "crucial time".