Trump to Send Patriots and Offensive Weapons to Ukraine in Major Escalation Against Russia

President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States will provide Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems and other sophisticated military equipment, as part of a broader policy shift signaling renewed American involvement in the war-torn country. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on July 13, Trump said the weapons - urgently requested by President Volodymyr Zelensky - will be delivered under a new arrangement whereby NATO and European partners will fully reimburse the U.S.

“We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need,” Trump said. “Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there’s a little bit of a problem there. I don’t like it.”

While the number of Patriot batteries remains unspecified, Trump emphasized that Ukraine will receive “various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment” and stressed that U.S. allies would cover the entire cost. “They are going to pay us 100% for that, and that's the way we want it,” he stated.

This marks a sharp departure from Trump’s previous stance. Until now, the U.S. president had refrained from approving fresh weapons shipments to Kyiv since the beginning of his second term. Ukraine had been receiving military support solely from funds left over from the Biden administration. Trump had previously argued that new aid would harden Putin’s position and obstruct efforts to reach a negotiated settlement.

Zelensky has repeatedly urged Washington and NATO for additional Patriot systems to counter the relentless Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. The renewed American support comes amid growing frustration in the White House with the Kremlin's actions.

According to Axios, Trump is preparing to announce a new military aid package on July 14 that may include offensive capabilities, including long-range missiles capable of hitting deep inside Russian territory. Two sources familiar with the discussions indicated that a final decision has not been made, but the shift toward offensive weapons represents a significant departure from Trump’s earlier policy, which emphasized strictly defensive aid.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Republican ally of the president, told Axios that Trump’s position toward Russia has hardened. “Trump is really pissed at Putin,” Graham said. “His announcement tomorrow is going to be very aggressive.”

Trump’s tone has indeed changed. In the past weeks, he has voiced increasing dissatisfaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s conduct - particularly following waves of airstrikes that killed dozens and targeted civilian infrastructure, even as international calls for a ceasefire mounted.

The policy turnaround also follows a crucial phone call on July 3 between Trump and Putin, during which the Russian leader reportedly informed the U.S. president of plans to escalate military operations in eastern Ukraine within 60 days. According to sources briefed on the call, Putin aims to push toward the administrative borders of the Ukrainian oblasts where Russian forces currently maintain a presence.

Trump is said to have shared details of this conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, warning that Putin "wants to take all of it."

Trump’s irritation with Moscow appears to have been further galvanized by that call, and by the Kremlin’s unwillingness to de-escalate. The policy shift was also influenced by Ukraine’s proposal, made during the NATO summit in The Hague, that European countries finance the procurement of U.S. weapons for Kyiv.

President Zelensky, for his part, appeared optimistic following a series of diplomatic engagements in Rome with U.S. and European leaders. He said those talks provided clear political commitments for the resumption of arms deliveries. He added that coordination is already underway at the staff level to ensure timely implementation.

One key meeting in Rome, dubbed the “coalition of the willing,” included a senior Trump envoy, General Keith Kellogg. The gathering took place just hours after yet another deadly Russian air attack on Kyiv. Following the meeting, Kellogg announced he would travel to the Ukrainian capital for a one-week visit starting July 14.

Zelensky told reporters on July 10 that securing additional air defenses was vital, especially following assurances from President Trump. The Ukrainian leader said he was confident the process of resuming arms shipments was now well underway.

Trump is also expected to unveil new funding for Ukraine, potentially the first fresh allocation of resources since taking office. The announcement, planned for July 14, will coincide with a meeting between Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Rutte is set to discuss Ukraine and broader alliance matters with the U.S. president.

Meanwhile, bipartisan consensus is growing in Washington regarding the use of frozen Russian assets to fund aid for Ukraine. Speaking on CBS, Senator Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal both said it is time to begin tapping the 0 billion in blocked Russian state funds held by G7 nations. Graham said the world is about to see a “record level” of weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

“One of the biggest miscalculations Putin has made is to play Trump,” Graham noted. “And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there’s going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table.”

Blumenthal echoed that sentiment, saying the moment had arrived for firm action. Both senators are leading figures behind new congressional sanctions targeting nations that continue trading with Russia.

Trump, who earlier in his presidency referred to Zelensky as a "modestly successful comedian" and even a "dictator," has now taken steps that suggest a significant reevaluation of his approach to the Ukrainian conflict. Whether this shift will lead to concrete gains on the battlefield or move diplomacy forward remains to be seen, but the tone and direction of U.S. policy under Trump are now markedly different.