United States President Donald Trump has reportedly rejected a Ukrainian proposal to buy Patriot air defence systems, even though Kyiv was prepared to pay a staggering 50 billion US dollars (approximately £40 billion GBP). The proposed payment would have come from European Union funds and frozen Russian assets, according to reports by German outlet BILD, cited by Ukrainian agency UNN.
Ukraine has made it clear it urgently needs more advanced air defence systems to protect its civilians from Russia’s continued missile and drone attacks. Since the United States is the sole producer of the Patriot system, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered to purchase the missiles outright. The offer included hundreds of Patriot missiles, each costing about 5.5 million euros (£4.7 million GBP), as part of a broader 50 billion US dollar (£40 billion GBP) package.
Three days ago, Zelenskyy publicly stated Ukraine’s readiness to pay for both air defence and other defence tools if the US provided the necessary systems.
But Trump not only rejected the offer, he also made controversial remarks, blaming Ukraine for the war. “When you start a war, you have to know you can win it,” Trump said, implying that Ukraine should not have resisted Russia in the first place. He further claimed that supplying Ukraine with weapons would not lead to victory against an enemy “twenty times bigger.”
Observers have called Trump’s remarks both insulting and dangerous, accusing him of ignoring the reality of Russian aggression and blaming the victim rather than the aggressor. They also questioned the economic logic of his refusal, as the arms sale would have brought significant revenue to the US defence sector.
Trump’s stance is in stark contrast to repeated Ukrainian appeals to protect civilians. President Zelenskyy recently stated that the lack of Patriot systems continues to cost lives, including those of children, due to Russia’s constant bombardment of Ukrainian towns and cities.
Despite being offered payment and no expectation of free military support, Trump’s administration appears unwilling to support Ukraine’s right to self-defence.
Ukraine’s Patriot Proposal to the United States
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Patriot missile price (per unit) | 5.5 million euros (£4.7 million GBP) |
| Total deal value | 50 billion US dollars (£40 billion GBP) |
| Funding sources | EU funds and frozen Russian assets |
| US response | Proposal rejected by Trump |
| Reason cited by Trump | “Cannot win war against bigger enemy” |
| Ukrainian need | Civilian protection from Russian attacks |
