In a bid to bolster Ukraine’s defenses against escalating Russian drone and missile attacks, President Donald Trump announced that the United States is selling weapons to NATO allies in Europe, who will in turn supply Ukraine with much-needed military aid.
Trump emphasized in a recent NBC interview, “We’re sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%.” He elaborated on the arrangement, stating that the weapons being dispatched would first go to NATO, and they would subsequently provide those systems to Ukraine.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke about the initiative, highlighting that many U.S.-made weapons currently used by NATO allies in Europe could be transferred to Ukraine. Rubio pointed out that it’s significantly faster to move arms from locations like Germany to Ukraine compared to waiting for new orders to be manufactured in U.S. factories.
“It’s a lot faster to move something, for example, from Germany to Ukraine than it is to order it from a [U.S.] factory and get it there,” Rubio stated during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Given Ukraine’s heightened need for Patriot air defense systems to thwart Russian ballistic and cruise missiles, both Trump and Rubio acknowledged the urgency in delivering such equipment. While there has been some inconsistency in the Trump administration’s approach to providing military support to Ukraine, officials confirmed that 155 mm munitions and precision-guided rockets were on their way to help the embattled nation.
Ukraine is desperately seeking additional U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems, with President Volodymyr Zelensky making a formal request for 10 more systems and missiles. Germany has committed to providing two systems, while Norway has agreed to supply one.
As Russian aerial assaults escalate, including a barrage of over 700 drones launched at Ukraine earlier this week, officials are growing increasingly alarmed. These attacks have aimed at overwhelming Ukraine’s air defenses and come as Russia’s forces intensify their military efforts along a 620-mile front line, leading to significant casualties on both sides since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022.
The latest Russian drone strikes have targeted key urban areas, including an attack on Kharkiv’s center that injured nine individuals and damaged a maternity hospital. Evacuations of mothers and newborns were conducted, although the local mayor did not confirm if hospital staff were among the casualties.
A similar drone strike hit the city of Odesa during daylight hours, resulting in injuries to nine more people. In response to the growing threat, Zelensky remarked, “There is no silence in Ukraine,” emphasizing the relentless nature of the air assaults across multiple regions, particularly at night.
The UN reports June 2023 as the month with the highest civilian casualties over the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1,343 wounded, as Russia launched ten times more drones and missiles compared to the same month last year.
Zelensky appealed to Ukraine’s Western partners to expedite promised support made during a recent international meeting in Rome. He called for not only the immediate availability of Patriot air defense systems but also for more interceptor drones, critical for countering the onslaught of Russian-made Shahed drones. He revealed that Russia is planning to manufacture up to 1,000 drones daily.
Following the recent waves of drone and missile strikes in Kyiv, officials have announced plans to implement a comprehensive interception system named Clear Sky, which includes a budget allocation of $6.2 million for interceptor drones, operator training, and the establishment of new mobile response units.
Zelensky underscored the importance of accelerating the production of newly developed interceptor drones that have shown promise against the Shahed drones. “We need financing. And then, we will intercept,” he concluded.
The ongoing situation remains critical, as Ukraine finds itself fighting against increasing aerial threats while relying on the continuous support of its allies to enhance its defensive capabilities.
image source from：latimes
