Unlock the White Home Watch e-newsletter without spending a dime
Your information to what Trump’s second time period means for Washington, enterprise and the world
Donald Trump plans to ship Patriot missile methods to Ukraine, saying they’re “desperately” wanted to defend the nation from intensifying Russian air strikes.
In his most specific feedback but concerning the prospect of sending the delicate weaponry to Ukraine, Trump instructed that the European allies would pay for the weapons as he renewed his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I haven’t agreed on the quantity but, however they’ll have some, as a result of they do want safety,” Trump informed reporters late on Sunday. “However we are going to ship . . . we are going to ship them Patriots, which they desperately want, as a result of Putin actually shocked lots of people. He talks good after which he bombs all people within the night.”
The US-made Patriot methods are a few of Washington’s most superior air defence weapons and a key a part of Ukraine’s defences in opposition to Russian assaults. They’re the one air defence weapon in Kyiv’s arsenal able to downing Russia’s hypersonic ballistic missiles.
Trump’s feedback got here forward of a gathering with Nato’s secretary-general Mark Rutte on the White Home on Monday.
Final week, the US president mentioned he would have a “main announcement” to make on Russia on Monday.
Requested on Sunday if he would announce sanctions in opposition to Russia on Monday, Trump mentioned: “We’re going to see what we are going to see tomorrow, OK? . . . However I’m very disenchanted with President Putin. I assumed he was someone that meant what he mentioned.”
Trump has in latest weeks expressed growing frustration with Russia’s intransigence in talks over a potential ceasefire that might pave the best way for a longer-term settlement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pleaded for months with Trump to promote his war-battered nation 10 Patriot air defence methods and interceptor missiles that may shoot down Russian missiles and drones.
Final week, he mentioned that Kyiv had secured agreements with Germany and Norway for the acquisition of three Patriot methods from the US.
Addressing the function of Nato allies in buying weapons from the US, Trump mentioned late on Sunday: “We principally are going to ship them varied missiles, very refined, army, and they’ll pay us 100 per cent for them, and that’s the best way we would like it.”
Russia has escalated its air struggle in opposition to Ukraine in latest weeks, launching file numbers of Iran-designed suicide drones and cruise and ballistic missiles. The drones have been up to date to fly increased and sooner, and to hold bigger and extra harmful explosive payloads.
On Sunday, Zelenskyy mentioned he would talk about Ukraine’s wants and its partnership with the US with Keith Kellogg, Trump’s particular envoy for Ukraine. Kellogg arrived on Monday morning in Kyiv and can maintain talks with the Ukrainian chief this week about Russian sanctions, arms deliveries and scaling up joint US-Ukraine manufacturing of varied weapons.
