President Trump Arrives Back At The White House

King Charles and Queen Camilla visiting Canada

Upon reading his invitation, Trump expressed that it was a “great, great honor” and appeared especially delighted to be staying at Windsor Castle, located west of the capital. “That’s really something,” he added. Typically, second-term U.S. Presidents who have already made a state visit are treated to tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W. Bush and Barack Obama. State visits are ceremonial meetings between heads of state. They are used to honor friendly nations and occasionally ease relations between rivals. While the King formally extended the invitation for a state visit, he did so on the advice of the elected government. DON’T MISS: Meghan Markle’s As Ever jam produced in factory 2,000 miles from Montecito

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The visit is perceived as a bid from the Prime Minister to keep Trump on side and mitigate the effects of his policies on the U.K. The rapport between the two seems amicable and it somewhat shields the U.K. from the hefty U.S. tariffs imposed on other countries. However, like Trump’s previous visit in 2019, not everyone will be welcoming him with open arms. His last trip sparked a day of protests, with a huge blimp portraying him as an irate orange baby floating outside Parliament. King Charles may also encounter some setbacks during the visit, as he is the head of state for both the U.K. and Canada, a country Trump has suggested could become the 51st U.S. state. In a speech to the Canadian parliament in May, Charles emphasized Canada’s “unique identity” and “sovereignty,” echoing the country’s national anthem when he declared, “The True North is indeed strong and free.” World leaders highly seek state visits to Britain due to the full array of royal pageantry they can receive, including military reviews, carriage rides and a dazzling state banquet hosted by the monarch.

US President Donald Trump announced that he would have a ‘major statement’ on Russia on Monday. “You’ll be seeing things happen”, Trump said, adding, “I think I’ll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday.” US President Donald Trump and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin shake hands before attending a joint press conference..(AFP File)

Trump, who had initially pinned equal blame on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing the conflict with Russia, seems to have turned his displeasure squarely towards Vladimir Putin.

What could be in Trump’s statement?

Axios reported that Trump would announce an ‘aggressive’ weapons plan for Ukraine, while Bloomberg reported a few days back that the POTUS was mulling new sanctions on Russia. All of this comes ahead of the meeting with NATO chief Mark Rutte next week, with the latter doing his best to curry favour with Trump at the recent summit at The Hague.

Patriot missiles for Ukraine, but US won’t foot bill

Trump, who was earlier averse to sending military equipment to Ukraine, said that the US was sending Patriot missiles but declined to comment on the number. The President, however, said that the US would not be paying for them since they would give the missiles to NATO, which would foot the bill, and in turn, help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian onslaught.

What Trump said about Putin

“Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening,” a disgruntled Trump said, adding, “I thought he [Putin] was somebody that meant what he said. And he talked so beautifully, but then he bombed everyone at night. We don’t like that.”

Earlier in the week, the firebrand president noted, “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth. He’s very nice all of the time, but it turns out to be meaningless”, as per CNN.

Kremlin, meanwhile, on Friday said it awaited Trump’s major statement, but didn’t show signs of easing up on Ukraine, with Reuters reporting drone and missile attacks on western Ukraine that left two dead.

U.S. President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn upon arrival at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 13, 2025. (AFP Photo)

U.S. President Donald Trump is going to unveil a major new Ukraine weapons initiative on Monday that will include offensive weapons systems, marking a shift from Washington’s previous stance, according to a report by Axios.

The announcement will be made during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House. The move, described as “very aggressive” by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, follows Trump’s growing frustration with the Russian President Vladimir Putin over the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“Trump is really pissed at Putin. His announcement tomorrow is going to be very aggressive,” Graham told Axios on July 14.

On Monday and Tuesday, the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, will visit Washington, D.C. The Secretary General will meet with Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth, as well as members of Congress.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with the press upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on July 13, 2025. (AFP Photo)

Long-range missiles, Patriot air defense systems expected

According to two sources briefed on the plan, Washington may provide long-range missiles capable of striking deep into Russian territory, including Moscow.

While no final decision has been confirmed, President Trump told reporters Sunday that Patriot air defense systems will be sent to Ukraine.

“We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need,” Trump said at Joint Base Andrews, adding, “They’re going to give us 100 for 100 for them. It is going to be a business for us.”

He did not specify the number of systems to be sent, stating, “I haven’t agreed on the number yet, but they’re going to have some because they do need protection.”

Patriot missile systems deployed at a local park during a military exercise in Taipei, Taiwan, July 11, 2025. (AFP Photo)

European nations to finance US weapons for Ukraine

The initiative will involve European countries paying for U.S.-made military equipment that will be delivered to Ukraine.

“The European Union is paying for it. We’re not paying anything for it, but we will send it,” Trump told reporters.

U.S. and Ukrainian officials described the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting at the summit as their best yet. Zelenskyy, dressed in a suit for the first time since 2022, reportedly made a strong impression.

“Zelenskyy came like a normal human being, not crazy, and was dressed like somebody who should be at NATO. He had a group of people with him who also seemed not crazy. So they had a good conversation,” a U.S. official said to Axios.

Smoke billows following mass Russian drone and missile strikes, in Lviv, western Ukraine, July 12, 2025. (AFP Photo)

Trump voices disappointment with Putin

Trump’s announcement represents a notable hardening of his stance toward Moscow after initially seeking diplomatic solutions to end the three-year conflict.

“Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice, and then he bombs everybody in the evening, but there’s a little bit of a problem there: I don’t like it,” Trump said.

“He wants to take all of it,” Trump told French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a source familiar with the call speaking to Axios.

Russian forces are reportedly planning to push further into Ukrainian territories within the next 60 days.

Trump, previously hesitant to escalate tensions, has since adopted a firmer posture.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress is contemplating new bipartisan legislation to impose further tariffs on countries that support the Russian economy.

Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal are also advancing bipartisan legislation titled the “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025,” which is expected to empower the president to impose 500% tariffs on countries that “support” Russia’s economy.

“This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war,” Graham told CBS News.

“For months, President Trump has tried to entice (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to the peace table. He’s put tariffs against countries that allow fentanyl to come into our country and other bad behavior—he’s left the door open regarding Russia. That door is about to close,” he added.

The bill, with 85 co-sponsors, would target nations importing Russian oil, gas, and uranium, including China, India, and Brazil. “We’re going after the people who keep Putin in business and additional sanctions on Russia itself,” Graham said.

Sen. Graham and Sen. Blumenthal will also meet with Rutte to discuss unlocking frozen Russian assets in Europe and the U.S. for Ukrainian use.

“The $5 billion that the United States has also could be accessed, and I think it’s time to do it,” Blumenthal told CBS.

Donald Trump said the US will send Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine, as he voices his growing frustration with Vladimir Putin who “talks nice but then he bombs everybody in the evening”.

The US president did not reveal how many missiles he plans to send to Kyiv, but he said the US would be reimbursed for their cost by the EU. He is set to announce an “aggressive” weapons plan on Monday, according to an Axios report.

“Trump is really pissed at Putin. His announcement tomorrow is going to be very aggressive,” Senator Lindsey Graham told the outlet.

Mr Trump has grown increasingly disenchanted with Mr Putin after he resisted Washington’s attempts to negotiate a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

“He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there’s a little bit of a problem there. I don’t like it,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington.

“We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s security agency says it has tracked down and killed Russian agents who assassinated a Ukrainian intelligence officer during the week.