Melania Trump has highlighted Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine in private conversations, President Trump said on Monday.

I think she understands more because she is one of ours, coming from a Slavic country,” Kyiv resident Yulia Shevchenko said.

As well as praising Ronald Reagan, who helped end the Cold War, she speaks to her son Barron in Slovene, and both still hold EU passports. It has long been reported that the first lady prefers to spend time away from the White House since her husband’s inauguration in January, as she is close to Barron, who is attending NYU.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was disappointed but not done with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a BBC interview published on Tuesday, hours after Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine and threatened Russia with sanctions.

President Trump suggested Monday that first lady Melania may have helped convince him to ramp up military aid to Ukraine.

Trump asked Volodymyr Zelenskyy whether Ukraine could strike Moscow, an inquiry that the White House says was merely a question but one that came hours after he voiced frustration at Putin’s refusal to accept a ceasefire.

For the first time since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has pledged to send “top-of-the-line” weapons to Kyiv. He also said he would hit Russia with 100 per cent secondary tariffs if it does not agree to peace with Ukraine within 50 days.

As President Trump’s heart hardens against Russian President Vladimir Putin, he recently asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy whether he could strike the Russian capital if provided long-range weaponry by the United States,