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Donald Trump plans to send Patriot rocket systems to Ukraine and explains that they are “desperate” to protect the country from intensification of Russian air strikes.
In his explicit comments about the prospect of sending the demanding weapons to Ukraine, Trump suggested that the European allies would pay for weapons when he renewed his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I haven’t agreed to the number yet, but they will have some because they need protection,” Trump told reporters late Sunday. “But we will send … we will send you patriots that you urgently need because Putin really surprised many people. He speaks nice and then he bombs everyone in the evening.”
The patriot systems produced in the United States are some of the most advanced air defense weapons in Washington and an important part of UkraineDefending against Russian attacks. They are the only air defense weapon in Kyiv’s Arsenal, which is able to reduce the hypersian ballistic rockets of Russia.
Trump’s comments came before a meeting with NATO Secretary General on Monday in the White House in the White House.
Last week the US President said that he had a “big announcement” on Russia on Monday.
When asked on Sunday whether he would announce sanctions against Russia on Monday, Trump said: “We’ll see what we’ll see tomorrow, ok? … But I’m very disappointed with President Putin. I thought he was someone who said what he said.
In the past few weeks, Trump has increasingly expressed frustration about Russia’s inimitableity in talks about a possible ceasefire that could pave the way for a long -term settlement.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has prayed with Trump for months to sell his war-crawled nation 10 Patriot Air Defense Systems and Interceptor missiles that can shoot Russian rockets and drones.
Last week he said Kyiv concluded agreements with Germany and Norway for the purchase of three Patriot systems from the USA.
Trump played the role of NATO allies when buying weapons from the USA and said late Sunday: “We will basically send you different rockets, very refined, militarily, and you will pay us 100 percent for you, and so we want it.”
Russia has escalated its air war against Ukraine in recent weeks and launched Iran’s record numbers of suicide drones, cruise and ballistic rockets. The drones have been updated to fly higher and faster and to wear larger and more destructive explosive payloads.
On Sunday Zelenskyy said that he would discuss the needs of Ukraine and his partnership with the USA with Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special representative for Ukraine. Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Monday morning and will lead this week with the Ukrainian leader about Russian sanctions, arms deliveries and the scaling of the common US Ukraine production of various weapons.
