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Trump promises Zelenskyy new weapons aid - here's what Ukraine might get

Trump promises Zelenskyy new weapons aid - here's what Ukraine might get Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump (Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump likely promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy missiles for the Patriot system, reports Axios.

Trump told Zelenskyy that he wants to help Ukraine strengthen its air defense. But he emphasized that the US is forced to suspend arms deliveries to check its own stockpiles.

Other sources of the outlet said that Trump promised to immediately send 10 Patriot interceptors. But this is fewer than what was planned in the suspended delivery. He also offered to help find other ways of supplying them.

Another official told the outlet that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called Trump to ask him to release the Patriot interceptors that had been suspended en route to Ukraine. According to him, Merz told Trump that Germany was ready to buy Patriot batteries from the U.S. and send them to Ukraine.

In turn, Trump proposed that Germany sell one of its own Patriot batteries to Ukraine, according to three sources familiar with the course of the discussion. They said that the US and European allies would share the cost of the purchase.

Trump and Merz did not reach an agreement, but officials say that discussions are ongoing. German officials claim that Germany has provided Ukraine with a very large portion of its Patriot missiles, even more than the US in relative terms.

Military aid to Ukraine

The US suspended deliveries of air defense missiles and other ammunition to Ukraine. Later, the US State Department confirmed that Kyiv had received a warning about the suspension of aid.

White House representative Karoline Leavitt said on July 8 that the process is temporary, as it is a standard Pentagon procedure for reviewing the weapons in stock.

Trump said that the US would continue supplying Ukraine with defensive weapons, as the country is “getting hit very hard.” The Pentagon published a statement that the United States would send additional weaponry to Ukraine as part of military aid.