WASHINGTON (BN24) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States will deliver Patriot air defense missile systems to Ukraine, describing the move as essential to helping Kyiv withstand Russia’s intensifying attacks. Trump leveled sharp criticism at Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the Kremlin leader “talks nice but then he bombs everybody in the evening.”
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, Trump did not specify how many Patriot systems or interceptors the U.S. intends to send but said the European Union will reimburse the cost. The president’s comments marked his latest expression of frustration with Putin after months of stalled negotiations to secure a ceasefire.
“We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need, because Putin really surprised a lot of people,” Trump said. “He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there’s a little bit of a problem there. I don’t like it.”
Trump’s remarks came as Ukraine struggles to repel near-daily missile and drone attacks that have intensified in recent weeks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly called for expanded air defense capabilities to protect civilian areas and critical infrastructure. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian forces launched four large-scale assaults this month alone, including hundreds of drones and missiles aimed at cities once thought to be beyond Moscow’s reach. On Saturday, at least 13 civilians were killed in strikes that included 623 drones and 26 missiles, among them 319 Iranian-made Shahed drones.
During a Cabinet meeting last week, Trump lamented the escalating toll of the war and the failure of diplomatic efforts to broker peace. “A lot of people are dying, and it should end,” he said. “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us.”
The president emphasized that Washington would not be footing the bill alone. “We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment,” Trump said. “They are going to pay us 100% for that, and that’s the way we want it.”
Trump is expected to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the coming days to discuss Ukraine and other security priorities. The meeting will come amid deepening concerns over the scale of Russia’s drone and missile campaign and questions about Europe’s capacity to sustain long-term support for Kyiv.
While Trump has previously said he hopes to reduce the United States’ exposure to prolonged overseas conflicts, Sunday’s announcement underscored his administration’s belief that reinforcing Ukraine’s air defense network remains critical in deterring Russian escalation.
NYPOST.COM
