Trump’s Patriot sales to Ukraine underscore Iran's proliferation threat
Russia's use of Iranian-style armed drones against Ukraine's cities continues to tax the US' limited ability to produce air and missile defense systems, vexing Pentagon planners and sparking renewed urgency among European allies.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States will sell highly sought-after Patriot anti-missile batteries to Ukraine via purchases made by European allies on Monday, underscoring growing alarm on the continent about Russia's Iran-enabled barrages.
What happened: Speaking alongside NATO’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said the first batteries and interceptors would come “within days.”
US President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte (L) in the Oval Office at the White House on July 14, 2025, in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“Actually, a couple of the countries that have Patriots are going to swap over and will replace the Patriots with the ones they have,” Trump said.
