Trump says US will 'take a look' at sending new Patriot system to Ukraine amid Russian attacks
U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 9 that his administration is "going to have to take a look" at supplying Ukraine with another Patriot air defense system.
"They would like it. They've asked for it," Trump told reporters in the White House. "I know they made the request. We're going to have to take a look at it."
"When you talk about a system like that... they're doing it because they want to prevent death," he added. "They're getting hit hard, very hard. So we're looking at it."
The comments follow a July 8 reporting by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that the White House is considering sending Ukraine a Patriot battery in what would be the administration's first major new weapons transfer since taking office in January.
A U.S. defense official told WSJ that Trump has asked the Pentagon to explore options for supplying Ukraine with more arms, including whether additional Patriots could be sourced from allied countries.
According to Axios, the White House is working on a deal under which Germany would sell a Patriot battery to Ukraine, with the U.S. and European allies sharing the cost.
The proposal comes amid a series of conflicting signals from Washington. On July 2, the Pentagon announced a pause in deliveries of key military aid to Kyiv, including Patriot interceptors and precision-guided munitions.
Trump later denied involvement in the decision and expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for failing to pursue a ceasefire.
Kyiv has repeatedly urged Western partners to expand air defense coverage as Russian forces continue to target Ukrainian cities with drones, missiles, and aerial bombs.
Patriot batteries, with their high-precision tracking and interception capabilities, are a cornerstone of Ukraine's layered air defense system.
Washington has so far delivered three Patriot batteries to Ukraine, while Germany has sent three more. A European coalition has contributed an additional battery, though not all systems are currently operational due to maintenance rotations.
If approved, a new transfer would mark Trump's first major military package to Ukraine not initiated by the previous Biden administration.
