President Donald Trump announced on 15 July that Patriot air defense missiles destined for Ukraine are already being shipped from Germany, marking a significant acceleration in military aid delivery to Ukraine.
“They’re already being shipped,” Trump told journalists at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, when asked about Patriot missiles and other weapons that NATO allies will purchase for Ukraine. The missiles are “coming in from Germany and then replaced by Germany,” he explained.
The announcement comes as part of a broader military assistance package that Trump confirmed on 14 July would provide Ukraine with “billions of dollars” worth of weaponry, funded and distributed by European NATO allies. Trump said the package includes up to 17 Patriot air defense systems.
“In all cases, the United States gets paid back in full,” Trump emphasized. “NATO’s going to pay us back for everything. In some cases, we’re going to be paid back by countries of the European Union directly. We’re always getting our money back in full.”
Ukraine needs more air defence systems to defend its citizen and infrustructure from Russian attacks that included more than 700 missile and drone strikes on some days last week.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the arrangement “completely logical” during an Oval Office meeting with Trump on 14 July. According to Rutte, Trump called him on 10 July to say he had decided Ukraine should receive “everything necessary for self-defense,” but wanted Europeans to pay for it.
The initiative has attracted interest from Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada, Rutte noted.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on 14 July that Germany cannot provide Ukraine with additional Patriot air defense systems as the country has only six left from its original stock of 12. Pistorius reportedly planned to discuss US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth a proposal he made last month allowing Germany to purchase two Patriot systems from the US specifically for Ukraine
Beyond the Patriot systems, the military assistance reportedly may include authorization for Ukraine to use its 18 long-range ATACMS missiles at their full 300-kilometer range, enabling strikes on military bases, airfields, and supply depots deep inside Russia that are currently out of reach.
Trump also considered sending Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine – the same weapons used against Iranian targets last month. The Washington Post reported that “if fired from Ukraine, these could hit Moscow and St. Petersburg, and they were included in discussion as late as Friday.” However, the Tomahawks are not included in the current delivery list, though they could be deployed later if Trump seeks additional leverage.
These decisions represent a significant policy shift from Trump’s previous stance of providing only defensive equipment. The announcement followed Trump’s expressed “disappointment” with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Putin’s unwillingness to move towards a ceasefire and Russia’s escalating attacks on Kyiv and other cities.
During a phone call on 3 July, Putin reportedly told Trump that Moscow plans to escalate military operations in eastern Ukraine within the next 60 days, “securing the full administrative borders of occupied Ukrainian oblasts.”
Trump also threatened to impose “severe tariffs” against Russia if it doesn’t make peace within 50 days. During the meeting with Rutte, Trump described Putin as “a tough guy” and said he was “angry” at the Russian leader for not being “nice.”
Trump confirmed he has not spoken to Putin since announcements made on 14 July.