US to supply Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine through NATO amid intensified Russian strikes

New Delhi, Jul 11: US President Donald Trump has announced that American weapons, including Patriot air defence systems, will be sent to Ukraine through NATO, which will handle the distribution and cover the cost. The move follows increased Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, prompting urgent appeals for additional air defences. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently requested 10 Patriot systems, citing a sharp escalation in Russian assaults. He said Germany and Norway had agreed to fund several units, with other European nations also offering support.

The announcement comes days after Trump held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, after which he expressed frustration over the lack of progress in ending the war. Trump has said he will issue a major statement on Russia next week. Meanwhile, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged NATO allies to provide existing Patriot batteries for quicker deployment to Ukraine, suggesting the US could later help replace those systems. The Pentagon had paused some critical weapons deliveries last week, including Patriot interceptors and precision-guided artillery, raising concerns in Kyiv about dwindling air defence supplies. However, after a record wave of drone attacks this week, Trump said the shipments would resume. June recorded the highest civilian death toll in Ukraine in three years, with 232 people killed and more than 1,300 injured, according to UN figures.