Translated with AI
US President Donald Trump said the United States would transfer Patriot air defense missile systems to Ukraine, but the cost of delivering these systems would be borne by the European Union. He told reporters this on the evening of July 13 upon his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base.
"I haven't agreed on the number yet, but they will get some [Patriots] because they need protection. But the European Union is paying for it. We are not paying anything," the White House chief said.
Trump said Ukraine was "desperately in need" of air defense systems because, he said, Russian President Vladimir Putin "says one thing and does another."
"He says nice things and then bombs everybody in the evening. It's a little problem. I don't like it," Trump added.
From defense to attack
Trump's words came amid a recent Pentagon announcement about a temporary suspension of some arms deliveries to Kyiv, which the US explained by the need to review military reserves. However, shortly after the president's intervention, deliveries were partially resumed. Moreover, as reported by Axios, Trump may soon present a new plan that includes offensive weapons, including long-range missiles capable of hitting targets in Russia.
Such a move would be a sharp turnaround from the president's previous position, which had insisted on providing Ukraine with only defensive weapons.
Trump's shift in approach came after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a NATO summit two weeks ago, according to Axios sources. One U.S. official said Zelensky seemed more "rational" than he had previously, and discussions of possible expanded aid were well received.
Trump is scheduled to meet with NATO's new Secretary General Mark Rutte today, where it is expected that a full plan for arms supplies to Ukraine could be presented.
Despite the importance of the Patriot, experts warn that even mass deliveries of these systems will not solve the problem of intensive Russian shelling. According to the Ukrainian side, on some days the Russian army uses up to 700 attack drones and missiles. On the night of July 9 alone, according to Important Stories, 728 drones and 13 ballistic missiles were launched at Ukraine.
At the same time, one Patriot battery can cover an area with a radius of up to 20 km and intercept missiles at an altitude of up to 5 km. To create a full-fledged missile defense, Ukraine needs at least 25 such systems, while as of July 2025, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had only eight Patriot batteries, two of which were under repair. In addition, there is uncertainty regarding the stockpiles of missiles: according to some estimates, there are no more than 200 units.
According to previously published data, Russia annually produces up to 1,000 ballistic missiles, including the Kinzhal. At the same time, according to experts, the global production of missiles for the Patriot does not exceed 900 per year. At the same time, two missiles are often required to intercept one target, which makes the task of providing full protection extremely difficult.
The White House's abrupt change in position could impact both the course of the conflict and relations within NATO, where restrictions on the transfer of long-range weapons to Ukraine have previously been discussed.
