Trump makes U-turn on Ukraine drone deal
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U.S. President Donald Trump said he would buy Ukrainian drones during a July 8 NATO press conference alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky, marking a turnaround with his previous dismissal of Ukraine's defense industry.
The remarks were made just after NATO leaders adopted summit conclusions that refer to Ukraine as a contributor to transatlantic security, and a commitment by allied countries to invest significantly in drone technology.
"We would buy their drones ... And you know, if we made that deal, we'd have great protection. I love the protection," Trump told reporters at the press conference in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
He also praised Ukraine's manufacturing base: "They (Ukrainians) have an ability to make a lot of them, which is … it’s amazing, that in a war situation they make them."
The remarks are a decisive shift from previous comments made by the U.S. president.
In March, Trump was dismissive that Ukrainian drone manufacturing would have anything to offer the Americans after Zelensky offered to share his country's drone expertise once Iran started launching drone attacks across the Middle East.
"The last person we need help from is Zelensky," he said at the time.
U.S Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the opposition Democratic Party's lead on foreign affairs, shared Trump's latest comments on Ukraine, commenting that "it’s high time the United States seal this deal."
Ukraine's drone expertise is also in high demand across Europe.
In Ankara, several countries signed drone agreements with Kyiv, and on July 3, the European Commission proposed a continent-wide drone development project, in which it expected Ukraine to play a leading role.
