Don’t start a war hoping for missiles: Trump responds to Zelenskyy on Patriot systems
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump effectively accused Ukraine of starting the war against the Russian Federation, according to his press conference during a meeting with the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele.
One of the journalists asked Trump whether he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about his request to purchase more Patriot missile batteries.
"Oh, I don’t know. He’s always looking to purchase missiles, you know. He’s against... Listen, when you start a war, you know that you can win the war, right? You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles," Trump said.
In this way, Trump effectively claimed that Ukraine started the war. At the same time, the US president said he had already provided weapons to Ukraine, recalling the transfer of 37 Javelin launchers and more than 200 missiles for them at the end of 2017.
According to Trump, it was this weaponry that allowed Ukraine to win "the first big tank battle" at the time
Ukraine ready to purchase Patriot systems
President Zelenskyy recently stated that Ukraine is capable of producing its own air defense systems to protect its territory from Russian terror. In his view, the United States should step up production of air defense systems and the missiles for them.
"In Ukraine, we can ensure such production, and we need the relevant political decisions. Localizing production and obtaining the necessary licenses is something that would help not only us but all partners who seek security rather than war," Zelenskyy said.
He later clarified that Ukraine is ready to purchase air defense systems and other weapons from the US worth $30 or even $50 billion, viewing the armaments as a kind of security guarantee.
Today, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is ready to buy ten Patriot systems from the US or obtain licenses for their production.
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