State Department Spokeperson Asked If Trump's 'Latest Assessment Of Putin Will Lead To Any Real Policy Change'

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce was asked about President Trump's recent statements about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Transcript

00:00I would appreciate if you help us understand whether the president's latest assessment of Putin

00:04will lead to any real policy change when it comes to arms shipment issue. Are we back to pre-July

00:12level, or is this administration now committed to deliver on all the previously made commitments?

00:19Well, I mentioned in our last briefing when there was some concern and hubbub about arms

00:26shipments stopping from the United States to Ukraine. And my warning then was wait a minute

00:32that this is one situation that you should not extrapolate it as a new policy or position

00:39that we have been and remain Ukraine's biggest supporters. We care about those people. We care

00:45about making sure that they have what they need. The president has been very vocal about the wholesale

00:51slaughter that has been going on and how it has to stop, how there has to be a ceasefire,

00:57and how it has to be between the two parties. Within that, I noted that, of course, wait,

01:05and here we do now have, besides a phone alarm, we have, of course, the resumption of weapons

01:14shipments to Ukraine. The president has been vocal about this. Without the details of exactly what,

01:21the president feels obviously very passionate and determined regarding the ability of Ukraine to

01:27defend itself. That is – that's the commitment. And Caroline Levitt, my colleague, noted just

01:35yesterday the shipments pause was part of a standard review of all weapons and all aid the U.S.

01:40is providing all countries and all regions around the world, not just Ukraine. And a few days before

01:48that, President Zelensky did about his phone call with President Trump. We had a very good call,

01:54I think a very strategic call. We've been helping them and will continue to help them. This is the

02:00president speaking about Zelensky. It's a pretty tough situation. So again, we've been helping them.

02:06We'll continue to help them. It's a pretty tough situation. And so that is – that's our position.

02:12It's what it has always been. And I'm glad that there's some clarity here after last week.

02:19Thanks. I do have follow-up, but I'll leave it for another day. Second topic.