Several European countries said on Tuesday that they are ready to participate in financing the supply of US weapons to Ukraine under the new scheme announced by US President Donald Trump. According to him, the United States will provide Kiev with Patriot air defense systems, missiles and other weapons, and the funds for this will come from other NATO members, „Reuters“ reported, quoted by News.bg.
At the moment, however, a number of details remain unknown, including the exact type of weapons, quantities, price and delivery times. US officials suggest that some European countries may provide from their own stocks, and subsequently replenish them with new supplies from the US.
„We are ready to participate. "Of course, we cannot do it alone, we need partners," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said at a meeting in Brussels. He stressed that Denmark does not have Patriot systems, but is ready to provide financial support.
At a joint press conference with Trump at the White House, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada had already expressed a desire to join the initiative.
EU foreign and defense ministers are actively discussing mechanisms for financing the deals. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergård said that Sweden would explore options for joint procurement of US systems, including Patriot, as part of its support for Ukraine.
Norway is also in close dialogue with Kiev on military assistance. According to Norwegian Defense Minister Thor Sandvik, air defense remains a top priority for both countries. Oslo has already co-financed a donation of Patriot systems to Ukraine.
Finland also confirmed its commitment to material assistance to Ukraine, but indicated that it would wait for more clarity on the details of the American scheme before making specific commitments.
The countries are expected to develop joint procurement mechanisms that would accelerate the delivery of American weapons to Ukraine without jeopardizing their own defense capabilities.