US President Donald Trump suggested the United States could provide Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, acknowledging Kyiv’s urgent need for advanced weapons as Russia continues its aerial assault.
During a news conference at the NATO summit in the Netherlands, Trump offered an unusual warmth as he responded to a reporter from the BBC’s Ukrainian service. The journalist, who mentioned she was living abroad with her children while her husband served in Ukraine’s military, asked whether the US would consider supplying Patriots to Ukraine.
“That’s rough stuff, right?” Trump responded. “We’re going to see if we can make some available. They’re very hard to get — we need them too, we were supplying them to Israel.”
Trump praised the American-made air defense system, calling it “100% effective” and adding: “Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing.”
Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to Western allies for the advanced US-made missile defense systems, which are capable of shooting down Russian cruise missiles and drones. While the Biden administration has sent some Patriots and encouraged others to follow suit, many NATO countries remain hesitant to deplete their own stockpiles.
In his comments, Trump highlighted that the systems were in high demand globally. “They do want to have the antimissile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots,” he said. “And we’re going to see if we can make some available.”
While Trump used much of his time to criticize the American media, he shifted tone when addressing the Ukrainian journalist, calling her question “very good.”
“I wish you a lot of luck, I mean, I can see it’s very upsetting to you,” Trump told her. “Say hello to your husband.”
Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the summit but stopped short of endorsing Ukraine’s stalled NATO membership bid — something his administration previously blocked. Trump instead suggested that increased military spending by NATO members could help deter future Russian aggression.
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