Trump pledges U.S. arms to Ukraine via NATO as Europe increases support
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that future American military aid to Ukraine will be routed through NATO and fully funded by the alliance, signaling a shift in Washington’s approach to supporting Kyiv amid war fatigue and congressional deadlock.
“We’re sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, a hundred percent,” Trump told. “We’re going to be sending Patriots to NATO, and then NATO will distribute that,” News.Az reports, citing Politico.
The comments come after a week of policy whiplash: the U.S. briefly halted shipments of air defense missiles and precision munitions to Ukraine, only to resume deliveries days later. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed Berlin would acquire additional Patriot systems for Ukraine, as Kyiv pushes allies to finance more arms purchases directly.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the developments, saying on Thursday: “We discussed with our partners the possibility of purchasing the necessary weapons packages in Europe and primarily in the U.S. We’re talking about air defense systems, ammunition, and so on.”
Trump’s pledge follows mounting pressure on European states to take a greater role in sustaining Ukraine’s defenses, especially with uncertainty surrounding U.S. congressional approval of new aid packages. The Trump administration’s unclear coordination with the Pentagon has added to concerns among NATO allies.
Though Trump has long voiced skepticism over U.S. commitments to Ukraine, recent comments reflect rising frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said he plans to issue a “major statement” about the war on Monday, but offered no further details.
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