Germany Urges Trump to Supply More Patriot Missiles to Ukraine
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been actively pressing US President Donald Trump to increase the supply of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, which has consistently sought more of these missiles. Merz insists that Germany is prepared to acquire these systems from the US in order to make them accessible to Ukraine, even as Trump has expressed reservations and previously suspended the shipment of certain advanced weapons due to cost considerations.
Merz, speaking at a conference in Rome on Thursday, called on Trump to join the EU in its efforts to supply weapons to Ukraine, including more missile defense systems. He emphasized that there is close communication with the US government and Trump on the matter, and that Berlin is ready to purchase Patriot systems from the US to ensure their availability to Ukraine. Merz noted that while the US “needs some of them themselves,” there are “a lot of them” available, and that defense ministers are currently negotiating their potential delivery, although a final decision has not been made.
However, Trump has been critical of providing aid without reciprocal benefits, and his administration has not approved any new Ukraine assistance since he took office. Earlier this month, the Pentagon suspended shipments of certain air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine. However, deliveries were resumed earlier this week. Trump has reflected on the cost of Patriot systems, valued at around $1 billion per battery, and mentioned that Kiev’s request for another unit remains under review. He stated, “It’s a shame that we have to spend so much money” on supporting Ukraine, calling the missile system “very rare… and very expensive.”
He also suggested the US “simply cannot produce [Patriot] missiles in the necessary quantities.”
In response to Merz’s statements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov remarked on Friday that the German Chancellor has made a clear choice for a military path, saying Merz believes diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict have reached their limit. Lavrov added that Merz has repeatedly articulated his primary objective: to establish Germany as Europe’s foremost military power.
Russia maintains that foreign arms supplies to Ukraine exacerbate the violence without altering the conflict’s outcome.