In a significant policy shift, US President Donald Trump confirmed the imminent delivery of advanced Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine, declaring the move a “business” for the US. The announcement comes amid accelerating Russian advances in eastern Ukraine, particularly around the strategic hubs of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, where Ukrainian defences face unprecedented strain.
Speaking at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, President Trump outlined a novel financing mechanism: European Union nations will fully fund the Patriot systems, which the US will then dispatch to Ukraine.
We basically are going to send them [Ukraine] various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment. They are going to pay us 100% for that, and that’s the way we want it.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will reportedly meet with President Donald Trump this week following Trump’s announcement of plans to sell NATO allies weapons that they can then transfer to Ukraine.
Rutte is due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday and plans to hold talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as members of Congress.
This development precedes an anticipated “aggressive” new arms package reportedly including long-range missiles capable of striking deep inside Russia, according to Axios. Senator Lindsey Graham hinted the plan would involve large-scale sales of American weapons to European allies destined for Ukraine.
The urgency follows a 3 July phone call where Vladimir Putin reportedly signalled intensified Russian offensives over the next 60 days.
Ukraine’s crumbling defences
The US decision coincides with a deteriorating situation for Ukrainian forces in Donetsk region. Russian troops advanced over 200 square kilometres in early July alone, exploiting severe Ukrainian shortages of artillery, drones, and personnel.
Meanwhile, special-purpose troops of the Russian Armed Forces’ Centre Group continue active combat operations against Ukrainian troops near Pokrovsk. Russian drones are not only striking Ukrainian fortifications, but also penetrating the rear, destroying convoys of equipment and supplies.
The advance of Russian troops towards Myrnohrad, the second key town covering Pokrovsk from the east, is particularly prominent. Ukrainian military experts note that after the loss of Mykolaivka, Russian units of the Centre Group only need 2.5 kilometres to reach the suburb of Myrnohrad.
In Sumy region, Russian troops broke through to Myropillia and took most of Oleksandriya. Heavy fighting reportedly continues in Yunakivka and Kondrativka.
Diplomatic and strategic shifts
Against the backdrop of Ukraine’s ailing defences, the US President’s Special Representative for Ukraine, Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kyiv, as announced by the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andrii Yermak, on 14 July. Earlier this month, Kellogg said that his visit to Ukraine would last a week.
At the same time, the American Conservative reports that future pauses in US arms shipments are “inevitable at some point” due to stockpile shortages and global commitments.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has proposed speeding up supplies through exchanges, transferring US weapons from NATO allies in Europe to Ukraine and then those allies buying replacements from the US.
As Russia actively advances its summer offensive, including in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine’s allies are rushing to secure stalled arms deliveries. Patriot systems provide Kyiv with protection from devastating air attacks, but experts warn that a delay in deliveries could lead to the loss of key positions such as Pokrovsk.
