Trump announces novel plan to send weapons to Ukraine and gives Russia new deadline to make peace

Whitaker, the US NATO envoy, said the immediate focus on shipping weapons to Ukraine was on defensive systems, like the Patriot batteries that can intercept Russian ballistic missiles. But he didn’t rule out providing offensive weapons.

…

By selling weapons to European nations, rather than transferring them to Ukraine itself, Trump hopes to insulate himself from political criticism that he is reversing a campaign pledge to reduce the US role in the years-long war.

Related:

US officials say they are still reviewing Ukraine’s weaponry wish list

U.S. officials say they are still sorting through Ukraine’s wish list of weaponry that it would like to receive from NATO members to determine what can be most quickly replaced after President Donald Trump announced an agreement for Europe to supply Ukraine with defensive munitions from existing stocks.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss arms transfers that have not yet been approved or completed, said Ukraine’s requests for materiel are roughly the same as they have been since the start of Russia’s invasion more than three years ago. Those include air defenses like Patriot missiles and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems, long range missile known as ATACMS and short- to medium-range ground-to-air missiles known as NASAMs, and assorted artillery, according to the officials.

Under the terms of the very rough agreement sketched out by Trump and NATO chief Mark Rutte on Monday, NATO members would ship billions of dollars of these weapons to Ukraine and then purchase replacements for them from the United States.

One official said some of the larger items — such as Patriots— could take up to five years to produce to deliver to the European donors, while smaller munitions like 155mm artillery shells can be produced on a much shorter timeline

If U.S. Gives Ukraine Long-Range Missiles, What Besides JASSM-ER Could Hit moscow

According to numerous insider reports published by Western media, this package is likely to include some form of long-range weaponry. The new military aid package that Ukraine hopes to receive from the United States may include air-launched missiles, aerial bombs, and high-precision ground-launched missiles. The primary criterion for these weapons could be their ability to strike deep into the territory of the Russian Federation.

…

The specifics remain unknown. Some sources mention “offensive missiles,” others claim these weapons will have the range to strike targets as far as Moscow. Still others explicitly state that they will be JASSM cruise missiles. All of these reports point to one clear requirement: the missiles must have a range of at least 500 km to reach Moscow from the Ukrainian border.

Ukraine Is Getting a New Way to Receive U.S. Weapons. Here’s What We Know.

How much money will this earn the United States?

Generally, a single Patriot battery costs about $1 billion to build, depending on the model, and interceptor missiles cost about $3.7 million each. JASSMs sell for about $1.5 million each. And ATACMS cost at least $1 million or more per missile.
“This is billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment that’s going to be purchased from the United States, going to NATO,” Mr. Trump said. “And that’s going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield.”