President Donald Trump may have expected a Russian shudder of fear to greet his threat of “very severe tariffs” on the country if it didn’t agree a ceasefire in Ukraine.

In response to the escalating threat, President Trump confirmed that the U.S. will send additional Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine. He noted that the European Union would finance the purchase of what he described as "various pieces of very sophisticated" U.S. weaponry.