Trump confirms US to supply Patriot missiles to Ukraine, funded by EU
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Washington: United States President Donald Trump has confirmed that the US will supply Patriot air defence missile systems to Ukraine in a bid to strengthen the country's defences against sustained Russian attacks.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sunday, Trump said the European Union will purchase the Patriot systems from the United States and subsequently deliver them to Ukraine.
“We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment. They are going to pay us 100 per cent for that, and that’s the way we want it,” he said, without disclosing how many Patriot systems would be included in the transfer.
The president also announced plans to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the coming week to discuss the situation in Ukraine and other pressing issues, according to Xinhua news agency.
This comes shortly after Trump declared that the US would be sending additional weapons to Ukraine, following reports from Moscow that Russia had made new territorial gains.
“We’re going to have to send more weapons — defensive weapons primarily?” Trump said, acknowledging the scale of Russian attacks on Ukraine. “They’re getting hit very, very hard,” he added, also making clear that he was “not happy” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump's latest assurance follows a recent and unexpected pause in certain arms shipments to Kyiv by the United States. The decision reportedly surprised Ukrainian officials and triggered urgent requests for clarification from Washington.
The brief suspension of military aid raised alarm in Kyiv, especially as Ukraine is currently facing some of the heaviest missile and drone attacks since the war began over three years ago.
The president's remarks also coincided with new battlefield developments, as Russia announced the capture of its first village in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region after months of offensive operations.
With IANS inputs
