SAEDNEWS: US President Donald Trump is examining the possibility of handing over to Kiev one more Patriot air defense system, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) wrote citing sources.
If the handover takes place, it will be the first major arms delivery to Ukraine by the current US administration.
According to the report, the White House has asked the Pentagon whether additional military aid to Ukraine was possible.
Moreover, US officials are finding out whether other Western countries can share their air defense systems with Ukraine, it said, TASS reported.
In all, the The Wall Street Journal believes that Ukraine has received three Patriot systems from the United States, three - from Germany and one from several European countries. So far, it is not immediately clear how many interceptor missiles the United States and its allies can provide to Kiev, because the conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East has seriously depleted Western stocks, the newspaper wrote.
State Department Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said earlier in the day the US never meant to stop supporting Ukraine and will continue to help. Asked about US plans about providing weapons to Ukraine, she replied that the recent pause shouldn’t be interpreted as a new American policy or position.
The New York Times (NYT) reported on July 2 that the United States would halt shipments of Patriot missiles, GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) precision-guided weapons, Hellfire guided missiles, Stinger man-portable air defense systems, and other weapons to Kiev. Following these reports, Ukraine’s foreign ministry summoned US Charge d’Affaires in Kiev John Ginkel and Vladimir Zelensky noted that Europe is unable to replace US military supplies.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated on July 3 that Washington continues to assist Kiev militarily, but emphasized that the US must also prioritize its own defense needs. However, on July 7, Trump promised to send some additional, mostly defensive, weapons to Ukraine. According to Politico, deliveries of some US weapons to Ukraine could resume following meetings between the two countries’ high-profile officials in Rome and Kiev this week and next.
