The US might give Ukraine another Patriot Air-Defense system

President Trump is considering sending an additional Patriot air-defense system to Ukraine after vowing in recent days to strengthen Kyiv against Russian attacks, according to two officials.

The President lashed out at his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, saying “we get a lot of bulls**t thrown at us by Putin.” The Trump administration had paused shipments of some arms to Ukraine, including Patriot missile interceptors. Now the desperately needed weapons are on the way.

But Trump is also seeking alternative solutions, including pressing Germany to send its own Patriot battery. “We are going to have to send more weapons to Ukraine. Defensive weapons, they have to defend themselves,” Trump told reporters during a Monday evening meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“At President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense will send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace,” the Pentagon said later Monday night.

Still, Trump and his team are reluctant to part with many Patriot interceptors. He wants the Europeans to send more of their own money and materiel as well. President Trump’s change of heart started to become clearer on Friday when he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in what both sides said was their best phone call since Trump assumed office.

Trump told Zelensky he wants to help Ukraine’s air defenses but stressed that the US had to pause the latest weapons shipment to review its own stockpiles, according to two sources briefed on the call.

The day prior, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had called Trump to ask him to release the Patriot interceptors that were paused while en route to Ukraine, a German official said.

The official said Merz told Trump that Germany is ready to buy Patriot batteries from the U.S. and send them to Ukraine. Trump suggested Germany sell one of its Patriot batteries to Ukraine, according to three sources familiar with the discussion. They said the US and European allies would split the cost of the purchase.

This should be welcome news for Ukraine, and shows once again to people hyperventilating about Trump supposedly being on Russia’s side, that Trump will continue to provide Ukraine with crucial aid.