President Trump’s feelings of ill-will towards Ukrainian president Zelensky have not changed, and the Ukrainians are unlikely to receive the Patriot missiles they desire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with CBS on Sunday that Kyiv would seek to purchase as many as ten U.S.-made MIM-104 Patriot air-defense systems, considered throughout NATO the “gold standard.”
Though such an acquisition could cost upwards of $15 billion, the Ukrainian leader said that other European partners are ready to assist by providing financing.
Zelensky’s comments come after the United States pledged to send additional Patriot systems to the war-torn nation last month. In an hour-long phone call, President Donald Trump told Zelensky that the White House would look into how Kyiv could be supplied with the systems, which would be employed to provide the civilian infrastructure that Russia has routinely targeted.
According to Euro Maidan Press, Kyiv currently operates “six Patriot batteries, which is only half of its minimum requested need of ten systems, with challenges also arising from a shortage of interceptor missiles.”
However, Ukraine has not received any additional MIM-104s yet, and Zelensky has begun investigating other options.
“I respect the choice of the United States, but when [they] didn’t give us such systems or didn’t sell them, we are ready for any format; the question is not about money,” Zelensky explained.
If a sale can’t be arranged, Kyiv may seek to license the production of the systems and ordnance, but it is unlikely Washington would agree to such a deal. It is also unclear if Kyiv has the infrastructure to produce the weapons and, if not, how long it would take to build the necessary manufacturing facilities.
Zelensky also floated the idea that Patriots deployed to other regions where no current military action could be transferred to Ukraine, possibly temporarily. That may also not sit well with Washington, notably because at least one has been confirmed destroyed, while other sources suggest as many as four have been lost to date.
Trump Gives the Ukraine Deal the Cold Shoulder
Trump responded to Ukraine’s request for additional MIM-104 Patriot batteries while meeting with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele at the White House on Monday.
Trump was asked if he had spoken with the Ukrainian leader about the proposed purchase plan.
“Oh, I don’t know. He’s always looking to purchase missiles, you know,” Trump responded. “He’s against… You know you can win the battle when you start a war, right? You don’t start a war against somebody that’s twenty times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles.”
This is not the first time that Trump has implied that Ukraine was responsible for the war, even though Russia had built up its forces, stated on numerous occasions that it wasn’t planning an invasion, and then launched its so-called “special mission operation” in February 2022.
On Monday, Trump further suggested former President Joe Biden was responsible.
“That’s a war that should have never been allowed to start, and Biden could have stopped it, and Zelensky could have stopped it, and Putin should have never started it,” Trump said, at least noting that Russian President Vladimir Putin was the aggressor.
“Everybody is to blame,” Trump added.
“If Biden were competent and Zelensky were qualified, and I don’t know that he is, we had a rough session with this guy, he just kept asking for more and more.“
Trump’s comments came just a day after Russia launched a missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing thirty-five people and injuring more than 100.
“I think it was terrible. And I was told they made a mistake,” Trump had told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening, essentially downplaying Moscow’s blame for the strike. “But I think it’s a horrible thing. I think the whole war is an awful thing.”
The MIM-104 Patriot could help Ukraine counter such missile strikes, but it doesn’t seem that Trump is close to being on board with supporting Ukraine.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/ The White House.
