Trump on Monday said the United States would ship "billions of dollars' worth" of military equipment to NATO members, paid for by the alliance, to be handed over to Ukrainian forces battling grinding Russian advances. Trump had earlier this month suggested NATO would "100 percent" pay for U.S. weapons, which would be sent to Ukraine.

Putin’s refusal to compromise on Ukraine, say analysts, is a colossal error costing Russia regional influence, lucrative energy markets and its place in the world.

Early this year, when Donald Trump was threatening to turn his back on NATO unless its members dramatically increased their annual contributions to the military alliance (“If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them”),