President Trump announced plans to supply Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, declaring the European Union would cover all associated costs. This decision came during his July 13 address at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where he stated the systems were needed for protection though he didn't specify quantities.

A senior White House official, speaking anonymously, revealed the President believes Russia will inevitably prevail in the conflict given its superior economic strength, military capacity, and manpower reserves. "The key question is how long it takes," the official noted, adding that Trump aims to "stop the killing" by increasing pressure through weapons transfers despite Moscow's gradual territorial gains.

During his July 14 meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Trump reiterated that European nations must finance further aid, stressing America had "spent tremendous money" already. Two administration officials confirmed the Patriot deployment reflected Trump's frustration with stalled negotiations and recent indiscriminate Russian attacks.

The move sparked criticism within Trump's "Make America Great Again" faction, with former advisor Steve Bannon warning against "arming people we can't control" and being dragged into "old-fashioned, grinding warfare." White House officials countered by citing polls showing nearly two-thirds of Trump voters support continued arms shipments. Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly asserted voters trust the President's approach to "restore peace through strength."

Trump escalated tensions on July 14 by threatening "very severe" tariffs should Russia fail to reach a peace deal within 50 days. An administration official later clarified this meant 100% tariffs on Russian goods plus secondary tariffs on nations purchasing Russian oil.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev dismissed the ultimatum on social media platform X, declaring Moscow "doesn't care" about the "dramatic demands." Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasized dialogue remains the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis, stating "tariff wars have no winners" and urging all parties to foster conditions for negotiations.