Trump announces US-EU arms agreement including aid for Ukraine
The U.S. and European Union have signed an agreement for Brussels to fully fund the purchase of U.S. weapons, some of which will be sent to Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 23 at the AI summit in Washington.
Since the start of Trump's second term, Washington had not provided Kyiv with new military aid packages until July. The administration eventually approved arms sales to Ukraine, announcing the first potential delivery on July 23.
The deal stipulates that the U.S. will deliver weapons to the EU, which will handle distribution among member states, with most of the arms expected to go to Ukraine, according to Trump.
Trump added that the EU will spend money in the U.S. on its defense companies, which "should have been done three years ago."
The U.S. approved two military aid packages for Ukraine on July 23, totaling $322 million. One includes HAWK Phase III air defense systems, while the other supplies parts to repair Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
The State Department confirmed the sale would have no negative impact on U.S. defense readiness.
Previously, the U.S. and Germany also agreed to deliver five Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, as Russia has escalated its long-range strike campaign on Ukrainian cities.
The new commitment follows U.S. President Donald Trump's July 14 announcement of a NATO- and EU-backed initiative under which alliance members will purchase U.S.-made weapons systems for Ukraine.
Washington has already sent three Patriot batteries to Ukraine, with Germany providing three more. An additional battery has come from a European coalition, though not all of the systems are currently operational due to routine maintenance rotations.
