The United States will provide Ukraine with defensive weapons — a decision made because Russian President Vladimir Putin is "killing too many people," US President Donald Trump said during a media briefing.

President Trump lashed out at the Russian leader on Tuesday, signaling a change in his posture toward the conflict.

Trump said after a call last week with Putin that he was unhappy with Russia’s president and “I don’t think he’s looking to stop” the war. Then, speaking at the start of a dinner he hosted for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday night, Trump said, “I’m not happy with President Putin at all.”