President Donald Trump, following a closed-door meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO Summit, expressed a willingness to send both monetary and defense aid to Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
At a press conference held at the conclusion of his trip to The Hague, Netherlands, Trump signaled potential support in the form of Patriot air-defense missiles, stating, “They do want to have the anti-missile, missiles. As they call them the Patriots, and we’re going to see if we can make some available.”
This remarks come amid concerns highlighted by Zelenskyy regarding the diversion of anti-drone weapons that were promised to Ukraine under an agreement from the Biden administration, which have now been redirected to the Middle East.
Trump noted the effectiveness of these weapons, stating, “You know, they’re very hard to get. We need them to. We were supplying them to Israel, and they’re very effective, 100% effective. Hard to believe how effective.”
When asked about the possibility of financial support, Trump replied, “As far as money going, we’ll see what happens. There’s a lot of spirit.”
Reflecting on his dialogue with Zelenskyy, Trump acknowledged a previous tumultuous relationship, stating, “He was very nice, actually. You know, we had little rough times sometimes. He was uh – couldn’t have been nicer. I think he’d like to see an end to this. I do.”
Zelenskyy reciprocated the positive tone, describing their meeting as “long and substantive” and emphasizing Ukraine’s readiness to purchase more U.S. weapons. He stated, “With the President, we discussed the protection of our people – first and foremost, the purchase of American air defense systems to cover our cities, our people, churches, and infrastructure.”
Zelenskyy added, “Ukraine is ready to buy this equipment and support American arms manufacturers. Europe can help as well,” highlighting the potential for joint drone production as a means to strengthen cooperation between the nations.
During the press conference, Trump commended Zelenskyy for his resolve in the ongoing conflict, recognizing the high stakes involved. He emphasized the need for Russian President Vladimir Putin to work towards ending the war, remarking, “People are dying at levels that people haven’t seen for a long time.”
When pressed about his prior promises to end the conflict swiftly, Trump deflected blame onto Putin, stating, “It’s more difficult than people wouldn’t have any idea.”
He added, “Vladimir Putin has been more difficult. Frankly, I had some problems with Zelenskyy. You may have read about him, and it’s been more difficult than other wars.”
The shift in Trump’s public tone towards Zelenskyy is noteworthy given their history of friction. A public disagreement in February had previously hindered a bilateral mineral deal, which was only resolved months later after the two leaders met during Pope Francis’ funeral.
Recent weeks saw Trump prioritize negotiations between Iran and Israel, which included leaving last week’s G7 Summit in Canada early, skipping a scheduled bilateral meeting with Ukraine.
However, following their NATO summit meeting, Trump showcased greater empathy towards the plight of Ukrainians. In a poignant moment, he interacted with a Ukrainian reporter who shared her harrowing experience, emphasizing her husband’s role as a soldier while she and her children fled to Warsaw for safety.
Trump responded with compassion, saying, “Wow, that’s rough stuff, right? That’s tough,” and proceeded to inquire personally about her situation before addressing her policy question.
He concluded, “That’s a very good question. And I wish you a lot of luck. I mean, I can see it’s very upsetting to you. So say hello to your husband. Okay?”
This recent engagement marks a critical juncture in U.S.-Ukraine relations, with both leaders indicating a mutual interest in strengthening military ties as the conflict with Russia continues.
image source from：6abc
