Trump says US will send Ukraine Patriot air defense systems
The US president's announcement of the much-needed weapons for Ukraine came after he earlier said he would make a "major statement... on Russia" on Monday.
The announcement could come amid a diplomatic flurry set for Monday, with the US special envoy starting his latest trip to Ukraine and Trump set to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Washington.
Moscow's offensive on Ukraine has lasted for more than three years, with attacks intensifying this summer and US-led negotiations so far yielding no results to end the fighting.
"We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need," Trump said Sunday, without specifying how many weapons he would send to Ukraine.
"I haven't agreed on the number yet, but they're going to have some because they do need protection," he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, as he returned from watching the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey.
The White House has U-turned from an announcement earlier this month that it would pause some arms deliveries to Kyiv, instead announcing a new deal which would involve NATO paying the United States for some of the weapons it sends to Ukraine.
"We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military and they're going to pay us 100 percent for them," Trump said.
"It'll be business for us," he added.
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