The United States will supply Ukraine with its Patriot air defense systems to help it defend itself against aggression by Russian forces, TASR reports, citing AFP.
"We're going to send them Patriots, which they desperately need," Trump said at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland."I haven't decided on the number yet, but they're going to get some because they need to be protected," he added, adding that it wouldn't cost the US anything because the European Union would pay for them.
Trump reiterated that he is"disappointed" with Russian President Vladimir Putin."Putin has really surprised a lot of people. He talks nicely and then in the evening he bombs everyone," he said.
The US president will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday. On the same day, he wants to have a"fundamental statement" on his policy towards Russia, which he announced in an interview with NBC News on Thursday. In it, he also announced that the United States will supply weapons to Ukraine through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization."We will send weapons to NATO, and NATO will pay for these weapons in full," the White House chief said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced last week at a video conference of the so-called Coalition of the Willing that Germany wants to buy Patriot air defense systems from the United States to provide to Ukraine. He did not say how many systems Berlin intends to buy, but media reports say it will be two batteries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine in Rome last week that Germany was ready to buy two Patriot batteries and deliver them to Kiev. He said Norway had promised to buy one battery from the United States for Ukraine.
The Patriot system is among the most advanced in the world. Depending on the missile used, it can hit targets at a distance of approximately 100 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 30 kilometers. A mobile launcher can hold up to 16 missiles, depending on the configuration. According to the American think tank CSIS, one of the most widely used PAC-3 missiles costs approximately four million dollars.
