US Pledges New Weapons to Ukraine Through NATO Allies, a Significant Boost in Defense

For the first time since his return to the White House, President Donald Trump has committed to providing new weapons to Ukraine, marking a significant step forward in the country's defense against Russia's invasion. Under a new deal, the US will supply weapons to NATO members who will then transfer them to Ukraine.

While President Trump did not provide many specifics about the weapons, he confirmed that the deal involves "billions of dollars' worth of military equipment." When asked if the deal includes Patriot air defense batteries and interceptor missiles, he responded, "it's everything."

One European country, which currently possesses 17 Patriot systems, will soon send a "big portion" of them to Ukraine, Trump stated. For Ukraine, which currently operates only a handful of batteries, this new arrangement offers an opportunity to expand its protection against Russian ballistic and cruise missiles.

Sitting alongside President Trump, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hinted at a larger package. "It's broader than Patriots," he said. "It will mean that Ukraine can get its hands on really massive numbers of military equipment, both for air defense, but also missiles, ammunition..."

The deal comes less than two weeks after the Pentagon suspended military shipments to Ukraine, including Patriots. The decision-making process behind this announcement remains unclear, but on Monday, Trump downplayed the event, stating that it was made in anticipation of this deal.

The negotiations involved "tortuous" discussions, many of which were facilitated by Secretary General Stoltenberg. The weapons can now continue to flow without the US having to foot the bill, according to President Trump. "We're in for a lot of money," he said, "and we just don't want to do it any more."

The deal is a personal triumph for Stoltenberg, who has been praised for his ability to navigate the complex political landscape and influence President Trump. As they sat in the Oval Office, Stoltenberg continued to flatter Trump, calling the latest deal "really big" and stating that it was "totally logical" that European members of NATO pay for it.

A number of countries, including the UK, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands, are reportedly planning to participate in the arrangement. "And this is only the first wave," Stoltenberg said. "There will be more."

In a separate development, President Trump threatened Russia with new tariffs if Vladimir Putin does not agree to a ceasefire deal within the next 50 days. Trump's move aims to apply pressure on Russia by targeting countries that continue to buy Russian oil and gas, such as China and India.

The president's threat comes as the US Senate continues to work on a bill that would impose much stiffer sanctions. The president said the Senate bill, which envisages 500% secondary tariffs, could be "very good" but added that it was "sort of meaningless after a while because at a certain point it doesn't matter."

The precise details of the president's threat remain somewhat vague, but the coming weeks and months could mark a turning point in U.S.-Russia relations. While Trump has guaranteed the continuation of the all-important US weapons pipeline to Ukraine for now, the 50-day deadline will likely feel like a long time for Ukrainians, who are currently enduring near-nightly drone and missile bombardment.

Nothing Trump has done seems likely to put an immediate stop to this ongoing conflict, but the new weapons deal may provide Ukraine with the means to better defend itself.