US President Donald Trump has said that he will send weapons including Patriot Air Defense System for Ukraine through NATO.
Trump told NBC News that in a new deal, “We are going to send patriots to NATO, and then NATO will distribute it”, saying that NATO would pay for weapons.
His announcement came after Ukraine’s President Volodimier Zelanski spoke of “positive dialogue” with Trump, especially the air defense systems to ensure that the weapons came on time.
Zelansky said that he had asked for 10 Patriot systems after an increase in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in the last week.
Speaking in Rome on Thursday, the Ukrainian leader stated that Germany was ready to pay for two Patriots and one for Norway, while other European partners were also ready to help.
After a phone-call with Vladimir Putin of Russia last week, Trump said that he was “not happy” that there was no progress towards ending the war, and he has since complained that Putin’s “very good” attitude became meaningless.
During his interview with NBC News, Trump said he would make a “major statement” on Russia on Monday, but did not say what it would happen.
He said that “NATO is going to reimburse the entire cost for weapons sent to Ukraine”. Nato is F funded through the contribution of his membersIncluding America.
US State Secretary Marco Rubio told reporters on Friday to urge countries including Germany and Spain to hand over some of their existing Patriot batteries, as they could reach Ukraine faster.
“We have continued to encourage our NATO colleagues to provide weapons … since they have their shares, we can enter financial agreements … where they can buy replacement.”
The US Department of Defense last week stopped some of important arms shipments that increase the concerns in Kiev that its aerial rescue may run short in months.
The weapons mentioned for the stagnation were Patriot interceptor missiles and accurate artillery shells.
Then, as Ukraine was extended by the record number of drone attacks this week, Trump said more weapons will be sent: “We have to do … they are getting very difficult now.”
Zelansky appealed to resume the shipment, describing the Patriot system as the “real guard of life”.
On Tuesday night, Ukraine was hit by a record 728 drone, and the Ukrainian President warned that Russia wanted to increase it to 1,000.
According to the United Nations, June saw the number of highest monthly casualties in Ukraine in three years, killing 232 people and injured over 1,300.
Since re -entered the White House in January, Trump has pushed to return the US support for Ukraine.
The US was the greatest source of military aid in Ukraine between the beginning of 2022 and the end of 2024, giving $ 69BN (£ 54.6bn) in the period, that time. According to the German think tank The Kail Institute.
Trump has also pressurized NATO colleagues to pledge his GDP for the security alliance. Last year, members of all European NATOs promised to spend 2% of GDP on defense.
Russia began a full -scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. America is urging both countries to reach an agreement to end the war.
Rubio told reporters that he and Russian External Affairs Minister Sergei Lavarov spoke “Frank” on Thursday on the occasion of a meeting in Malaysia.
Rubio echoed Trump’s “disappointment over the lack of progress in peace talks”, “including despair, not much flexibility on the Russian side to end this struggle”.
He said that both of them shared some new ideas how the struggle can end, which he will take back to Trump.
Rubio refused to expand on Russia on Monday, a “major” announcement about Russia.
