Trump-Backed Ukraine Arms Plan Raises Concerns in Europe Over Execution
President Donald Trump’s new plan to support Ukraine by encouraging NATO allies to donate weapons, particularly Patriot missile defense systems, has been met with cautious optimism. But officials say the proposal remains vague and raises questions about how any deliveries would happen.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Reuters.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said some Patriot systems could arrive in Ukraine “within days.”
Under the proposal, European NATO countries would transfer air defense and other military systems to Ukraine, and the U.S. would sell them new replacements.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who met with Trump this week, has supported the initiative. A source familiar with the talks said the plan was discussed in recent days and has been positively received by Ukraine and some European allies.
However, ten U.S. and European officials told Reuters that the announcement was more of a framework than a finalized agreement. Details such as which countries will contribute, how many systems will be delivered, and when those deliveries will occur remain unresolved.
European diplomats expressed concern over the lack of prior consultation. Two senior embassy sources said they learned of the proposal only when it was announced publicly.
A northern European ambassador in Washington noted that “the devil is in the details,” pointing to uncertainty about the practical implementation of the plan.
Officials have cited Germany, Spain, Greece, and the Netherlands as potential donors, either due to having multiple Patriot batteries or facing lower threat levels. Some of those countries have previously resisted calls to transfer their systems, citing domestic security concerns and NATO obligations.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed on Monday that Berlin is in discussions with the U.S. over a possible contribution, but said no decision has been made.
The NATO alliance said it would coordinate weapons transfers through its Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine initiative. A NATO official confirmed that several countries, including Canada, Finland, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Denmark, have expressed interest in participating.
Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker said the approach reflects Trump’s campaign message of encouraging Europe to take on a greater defense burden. “This allows Trump to support Ukraine while staying consistent with what he said during the campaign,” Volker said.
Despite the political shift, confusion persists over Trump’s claim that one unnamed country holds 17 Patriot systems, some of which would go to Ukraine.
Two sources told Reuters no NATO member outside the U.S. has that many batteries, suggesting he may have referred to individual launchers or components rather than full systems.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the move but stressed that if Europe is paying for the weapons, it should be recognized as European support. “If you promise to give the weapons but someone else is paying, is it really your contribution?” she asked.
As The Gaze previously reported, President Donald Trump welcomed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to the White House on Monday, unveiling a new weapons agreement for Ukraine.