US President Donald Trump said he would consider providing additional patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, at the request of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
RT reported that speaking at a press conference in The Hague after meeting with Mr. Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit on June 25, Mr. Trump said that patriot systems are very unlikely to come by and that the US is also in need of them.
Some patriot complexes have been transferred to Israel, further limiting supply. However, Trump insists his administration will see if it can allocate some complexes to Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky had previously said Ukraine was ready to buy patriots if the US did not provide aid, and said he would support US arms manufacturers. He has also repeatedly stressed that patriot is the only system that can effectively deal with Russian missiles.
However, Moscow has denied the claim. Even Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yury Ignat admitted in an interview with Le Monde that the patriot system has exposed many serious limitations against Russian weapons.
As of May 2025, Ukraine owns about 6 patriot systems in operation, mostly supported by the US and Germany, with additional components provided by the Netherlands and Romania.
Mr Zelensky has set a target of a total of 25 complexes and called on European allies to finance the purchase of 10 more systems at an estimated cost of 15 billion USD. However, the Trump administration has long considered the proposal unrealistic.
When asked if the US would participate in the entire $5 billion military aid package that other NATO countries have pledged to Ukraine, Trump said only that the conflict must end.
Since taking office in January, President Trump has repeatedly called for a negotiated solution to end the conflict in Ukraine. He expressed his disappointment at the slow negotiations and affirmed that he would talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin to find a way to end the conflict, although a specific time has not been set. Trump has previously expressed hope for a agreement with Russia on a ceasefire.
On Moscow's side, the Russian government has said it is ready for unconditional negotiations, but insists that any long-term agreement must reflect the current situation on the battlefield and ensure Ukraine remains neutral.
