Trump says US send Patriot missile systems to Ukraine

Ukraine will receive Patriot missile defense systems from the United States, President Donald Trump announced, Reuters reports.

“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 said.

The exact number of systems Ukraine will receive is still unknown. Trump said the European Union will reimburse the U.S. for the cost of the deliveries.

“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.

The U.S. president is expected to discuss this aid and other security issues during his meeting this week with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Earlier, the U.S. State Department said the U.S. would continue supporting Ukraine and supplying weapons despite a recent temporary pause.

Recall that on July 2, it became known that Washington had paused part of the arms deliveries to Ukraine, reportedly due to concerns over depleted U.S. stockpiles.

However, on July 3, President Trump stated that Washington continues to provide weapons to Ukraine.

The Illinois division of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America has called on Ukrainians in the U.S. to urge their congressional representatives and senators to support continued defense aid to Ukraine.