Berlin and Washington will decide on the transfer of two American Patriot air defense systems to Kyiv "within a few days or weeks".
This was stated by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on July 14 after talks with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, Reuters reports.
Officials are still negotiating details, including the number of launchers and missiles that will be included in the package. Once the deal is signed, the first Patriot system could be sent to Kyiv within a few months, Pistorius said. He declined to comment on whether offensive weapons for Ukraine were also discussed in the talks.
According to Reuters, the German minister was warmly welcomed in Washington. According to journalists, this indicates Germanyʼs new role as a key participant in NATOʼs largest force buildup since the Cold War, after decades of lagging behind in defense spending.
What is known about weapons for Ukraine?
The US President Donald Trump, after meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on July 14, reported that he had concluded an agreement to supply weapons to Ukraine. They did not specify what weapons and how much they were worth. However, Trump spoke of “state-of-the-art weapons worth billions of dollars”. while Rutte emphasized that the agreement included both ammunition and missiles.
Trump says that at NATOʼs suggestion, the US will approach Germany and send "early deliveries of missiles". The US president also said that some Patriot systems will be in Ukraine "very soon — in a matter of days, in fact". According to Trump, the costs will be covered by NATO members, not the US.
After Trump reported the deal, Axios, citing sources, reported that the United States would sell nearly $10 billion worth of weapons to NATO allies for further deliveries to Ukraine. And thatʼs just the first phase.
Trump also threatened “tough tariffs” on Russia on July 14 if it does not reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days. The US president has previously threatened Russia with sanctions, but has never imposed them.
- A few days ago, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that the country would not be able to provide Ukraine with more American Patriot air defense systems. Germany has 6 of them. At the same time, Berlin said it was ready to buy two Patriot systems from the United States for Ukraine — this option was discussed with the American side.
- The Washington Post, citing a senior White House official, wrote that Germany will send Patriot air defense batteries to Ukraine and in return will buy the same ones from the United States.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.