US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he will send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. He said the move is necessary to help Kyiv defend itself against ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks.
“We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need, because Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there’s a little bit of a problem there. I don’t like it,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington.
EU To Cover The Cost Of Patriot Air Defense Systems On Ukraine’s Behalf
While Trump did not specify how many Patriot systems the U.S. plans to send, he emphasized that the European Union would cover the cost.
“We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment. They are going to pay us 100% for that, and that’s the way we want it,” he said.
Donald Trump Slams Vladimir Putin
Trump’s decision comes amid his growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Trump, the Russian leader has resisted multiple attempts by the U.S. president to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
“Putin talks nice but then he bombs everybody in the evening,” Trump remarked, highlighting the gap between diplomatic discussions and Russia’s continued military actions.
Also Read: US President Donald Trump To Visit Buckingham Palace in September
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy Requests More Defensive Capabilities
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has time and again reasked for quested additional defense systems from Western allies particulary US to protect the country from what he describes a relentless “daily barrage” of Russian missile and drone attacks.
Trump also confirmed plans to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte later this week to discuss the situation in Ukraine along with other international issues.
Separately, Trump’s top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, said the president has the authority to fire Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Hassett’s comments came amid reports of ongoing investigations into renovation projects in Washington, D.C.
“He [Powell] has a lot to answer for,” Hassett stated.
Also Read: Ukrainian Forces Kill Two Alleged Russian Operatives In Kyiv
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
