WASHINGTON/ROME, July 11; U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to send Patriot air defence systems and other weapons to Ukraine through NATO, amid renewed pressure from Kyiv and a sharp rise in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Speaking to reporters, Trump said the weapons would be routed through NATO, which would also bear the cost. “We’re going to be sending Patriots to NATO, and then NATO will distribute that,” he said. “NATO is going to reimburse the full cost.” Trump’s comments followed a “positive dialogue” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has requested 10 Patriot systems to bolster Ukraine’s air defences. “They’re getting hit very hard now,” Trump said, referring to record waves of Russian attacks. “We have to [send the weapons].” The Patriot missile batteries, which can detect and intercept incoming projectiles, are widely considered one of the most advanced air defence systems globally. In the past week alone, Ukraine endured a record 728 drone attacks in a single night, and Zelensky has warned that Russia aims to increase that number to 1,000. The UN reported that June marked the highest monthly civilian casualty toll in three years, with 232 people killed and over 1,300 injured. Zelensky, speaking in Rome on Thursday, confirmed that Germany has pledged to fund two of the requested Patriot systems, Norway will pay for one, and other European countries have also expressed readiness to contribute. Trump, who last week held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressed disappointment at the lack of progress toward ending the war. “I’m not happy,” he said in an interview with NBC News. “Putin’s very nice attitude turned out to be meaningless.” Trump added he would make a “major statement” on Russia next Monday, without elaborating. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington was urging allies such as Germany and Spain to donate Patriot systems already in their arsenals, saying they could reach Ukraine faster than newly manufactured units.
“We have continued to encourage our NATO allies to provide those weapons… since they have them in their stocks,” Rubio said. “Then we can enter into financial agreements where they can purchase the replacements.” Concerns have mounted in Kyiv after the U.S. Department of Defense recently paused some shipments of critical munitions, including Patriot interceptor missiles and precision artillery shells. Zelensky described the Patriots as “real protectors of life” and appealed for immediate resumption of deliveries. NATO funding comes from contributions made by its member states, with the United States as its largest financial contributor.
