Trump: "Ukrainians do want Patriots, but we need them too"
US President Donald Trump has said he will check whether it is possible to provide Ukraine with additional Patriot air defence systems but emphasised that the United States also needs them.
Source: Trump at a press conference following the NATO summit in The Hague on 25 June, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Trump made the remark in response to a question from a Ukrainian journalist, who asked whether the US was ready to sell Patriot systems to Ukraine. The president first asked whether she lived in Ukraine. The journalist replied that she was currently abroad with her children, while her husband remained in Ukraine. Trump then asked whether her husband served in troops and was on the front line. Upon receiving a positive answer, the president said, "Well, that's rough stuff, right?" before moving on to the question itself. However, he stressed that the US also needs such an effective weapon as the Patriot system.
Quote: "They [the Ukrainians – ed.] do want to have the anti-missiles, as they call them… the Patriots. And we are going to see if we can make some available. They are very hard to get. We need them too. We were supplying them to Israel, and they are very effective. A hundred percent effective – hard to believe how effective."
Details: In the end, Trump said to the journalist: "I wish you a lot of luck. I can see it’s very upsetting to you. Say ‘hello’ to your husband".
Background:
- Over the past few months, Ukraine has been asking the United States to purchase several Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to defend against large-scale Russian missile attacks.
- Earlier this month, the Ukrainian side handed a list of needed weapons to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, including items Ukraine is ready to purchase from the United States.
- Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he intended to discuss the purchase of a new defence package with Trump.
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