Trump Says Deal Struck With NATO To Fund Weapons For Ukraine

US President Donald Trump mentioned on Thursday {that a} new settlement has been reached with NATO, beneath which the army alliance will bear the complete price of weapons being despatched to Ukraine, The Hill reported.

“We’re sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for these weapons, 100 per cent,” Trump mentioned in a cellphone interview with NBC Information.

“So, what we’re doing is, the weapons which might be going out are going to NATO, after which NATO goes to be giving these weapons [to Ukraine], and NATO is paying for these weapons,” he added, as quoted by The Hill.

Trump famous that the deal was reached in June through the NATO summit held in The Hague. “We ship weapons to NATO, and NATO goes to reimburse the complete price of these weapons,” Trump instructed NBC’s “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who additionally serves as Trump’s nationwide safety adviser, mentioned the US is holding discussions with a number of European international locations – together with Spain and Germany – about sending Patriot missile batteries to Ukraine, The Hill reported.

“Effectively, the Spaniards have them. They’re actually removed from Ukraine, they usually have one. The Germans have, others have them — I am not singling them out, however I am simply telling you these are two that I do know,” Rubio instructed reporters in Malaysia after he met with Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov.

“There are different Patriot batteries, and there are different alternatives,” he added.

Rubio additional mentioned, “International locations which have ordered Patriot batteries which might be about to obtain shipments of them, it might be nice if considered one of them volunteered to defer that cargo and ship it to Ukraine as an alternative,” The Hill reported.

Trump additionally intensified his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the 2 leaders have made “no progress” on a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. He added that he doesn’t consider Putin is seeking to halt the struggle that started with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Trump administration resumed deliveries of defence weapons to Ukraine on Monday, following a short pause ordered by the Division of Defence as a result of considerations about depleting US stockpiles.

NATO Secretary-Normal Mark Rutte confirmed he spoke with Trump on Thursday and has urged alliance members to extend army assist to Ukraine.

“Russia’s continued huge assaults towards Ukrainian civilians are deplorable. Earlier as we speak I urged leaders to go additional so Ukraine has extra ammunition & air defences,” Rutte posted on social media platform X, in accordance with The Hill.

“I’ve simply spoken with President Trump and now working carefully with Allies to get Ukraine the assistance they want,” he added.