US President Donald Trump in an interview with NBC News said he would make an "important statement" about Russia. According to him, he is "disappointed in Russia".
"But we'll see what happens in the next couple of weeks," Trump said.
"I think I will make an important statement on Russia on Monday," the head of the White House added, but did not go into details.
Trump also revealed details of the "new agreement" between the US, NATO and Ukraine for the supply of American weapons. The point is that the United States will send NATO weapons, and then the alliance will supply them to Ukraine and pay for them, he explained. According to the president, the agreement was reached at the NATO summit last month.
"We are sending weapons to NATO, and NATO will reimburse the full cost of these weapons," Trump explained.
The head of the White House also said that the final decision on the introduction of new sanctions against Russia remains with him.
"In other words, it's my decision if I want to apply them. They (Congress) are going to pass a very serious and very tough sanctions bill, but the president decides for himself whether he wants to apply them," he added.
On the eve of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that at a meeting with the Russian delegation in Kuala Lumpur, Moscow announced new proposals on Ukraine. He did not disclose their essence, but added that a "roadmap" for the settlement of the conflict was discussed.
"We exchanged some ideas and comments, which I will return to Washington this evening in the form of calls and reflections, and perhaps there will be something on which further actions could be based," the head of the State Department said. He promised to convey the Russian proposal to Trump "immediately upon his return."
Speaking about the sanctions, Rubio explained that Trump sees them as a "real option", but wants flexibility in how and when they will be applied.
After the last conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on July 3, the US president said that he had not been able to make any progress in resolving the Ukrainian crisis. He also noted that he was dissatisfied with the conversation.
Putin told Trump in a conversation that Russia continues to seek a political and negotiated solution to the conflict, the Kremlin said. When the American leader said he was dissatisfied with the results of the conversation, they replied that Moscow was attentive to all his statements.