President Donald Trump announced a major shift in U.S. foreign policy Monday, stating that his administration will sell U.S.-manufactured weapons and missile systems to NATO allies supporting Ukraine. During a press briefing with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said European nations would pay for the arms directly, relieving American taxpayers from the financial burden.
“We’ve made a deal today where we’re going to be sending them weapons and they’re going to be paying for them,” Trump said. “The United States will not be having any payment made. We’re not buying it, but we will manufacture it, and they’re going to be paying for it.”
Trump emphasized the geographic and strategic logic behind the decision. “We have an ocean separating us. We make the best stuff, but we can’t keep doing this — and Biden should’ve done this years ago,” he said. Secretary General Rutte backed the approach, calling it “totally logical,” and confirmed a broad commitment from NATO members, including Germany, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Canada.
Alongside the weapons deal, Trump issued a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He pledged to impose 100% “secondary tariffs” within 50 days unless a peace agreement is reached. These tariffs would extend beyond Russia to penalize countries that continue doing business with the Kremlin, especially those purchasing Russian oil and gas.
Senator Lindsey Graham has introduced a separate bill proposing even harsher measures, calling for 500% tariffs on nations supporting Russia economically. Trump’s proposed tariff, though lower, sends a clear signal. “We are very, very unhappy with [Russia], and we’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days,” Trump stated.
Trump expressed frustration over previous discussions with Putin, describing them as unproductive. “I speak to him a lot about getting this thing done, and I always hang up and say, ‘Well, that was a nice phone call.’ And then missiles launched into Kyiv or some other city, and I said, ‘strange.’”
This comes days after Russia launched another wave of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine, including one strike on Kyiv that killed at least two people and wounded 16. The assault followed Trump’s recent expression of disappointment with Putin’s failure to de-escalate the conflict.
In a notable tone shift, Trump praised Ukraine and NATO countries for their perseverance. “I think this is a chance at getting peace,” he said. “Europe has a lot of spirit for this war. When I first got involved, I really didn’t think they did, but they do.”
This new approach allows the U.S. to strengthen its industrial base, reduce the burden on taxpayers, and send a clear message to adversaries. It also places accountability on international allies, ensuring they contribute meaningfully to the security challenges that affect their own region.
