President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has secured funds for three Patriot missile defense systems and is in talks for seven more following a deal that allows the country’s European allies to purchase US military equipment and provide it to Kyiv.
Nearly two weeks after US President Donald Trump issued a 50-day ultimatum to Russia to reach a deal on the war or face severe tariffs while also announcing plans to supply Ukraine with more defensive weapons via Europe, Zelenskyy’s announcement is a sign that the plan is moving forward.
In comments to the press released on July 25, Zelenskyy confirmed that the United States will send more Patriot systems — proven effective in countering Russian ballistic missile attacks — to Ukraine.
“The US president will be transferring, selling these systems to us. Our task is to find funding for all 10 systems,” Zelenskyy said. “I have officially received confirmation from Germany for two systems, and from Norway for one. We are currently working with Dutch partners.”
Separately, Zelenskyy said that Washington and Kyiv had agreed on a deal worth between $10 billion and $30 billion for Ukraine to provide its drones to the United States.
Since taking office six months ago, Trump has sought to broker an end to the war in Ukraine.
Facing pushback from President Vladimir Putin — most notably the rejection of the US call for a cease-fire — he has now green-lit the flow of some weapons he had previously held back in a bid not to antagonize his Russian counterpart.
Earlier this week, after negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on July 23 ended without major progress, Washington announced up to $322 million in military sales to Kyiv.
Two weapons systems which Ukraine already fields — the HAWK missile system and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle — will be bolstered with additional equipment and support in the sale, according to a press release from the US Defense Department.
Meanwhile, Russian drone and missile strikes continued to pound Ukrainian cities — something Trump appeared to be particularly frustrated with while delivering his comments at the White House on July 14.
Early on July 25, Russian forces struck a hospital that treats tuberculosis patients in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, leaving at least a dozen people injured, regional governor Oleh Synehubov said.
He added that a teenage girl was among the wounded.
“The roof of the third floor was struck… A common medical ward is located there,” Natalia Trokhlebova, the acting chief of the facility, told RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service.
“Fortunately, we have few patients now, and the third floor is closed,” she added.
The day before, Zelenskyy commented on the ongoing Russian strikes, suggesting that they are a response to Kyiv’s proposal of an immediate cease-fire, which its delegation had advocated in Istanbul.
