Washington, D.C. – In a significant shift, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States would send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, a move aimed at bolstering Kyiv’s defenses amid intensifying Russian attacks.
“We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, signaling a new chapter in U.S. military support after a temporary pause in arms shipments earlier this month.
While Trump did not specify the number of Patriot systems, he emphasized that Ukraine would pay 100% for the weapons, stating, “It’ll be business for us.”
This announcement comes ahead of a crucial Monday meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and a possible “major statement on Russia”, which Trump teased over the weekend.
War Intensifies, Ceasefire Elusive
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its fourth year, with no breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently indicated that Ukraine was “close to reaching a multi-level agreement” for Patriots and other military support.
Trump, once optimistic about diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, now appears increasingly disillusioned.
“Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening,” said Trump, expressing “disappointment” in Moscow’s continued aggression.
Sanctions in Sight?
Trump also hinted at tougher sanctions, saying: “We’re going to see what we will see tomorrow.” The U.S. Senate is preparing a bipartisan sanctions bill, which Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called a “sledgehammer” that would enable the president to impose up to 500% tariffs on countries supporting Russia’s war machine — including China, India, or Brazil.
“This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war,” said Graham.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal added that discussions would also include unlocking $5 billion in frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine.
International Diplomacy on High Alert
With the U.S. envoy heading to Ukraine, rising bipartisan pressure in Congress, and NATO leaders converging in Washington, Monday is set to be a pivotal day in shaping the Western response to the Russia-Ukraine war.
As Zelensky noted, “This is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty.”
