Britain looking to join Trump plan to purchase US weapons for Ukraine
LONDON – Britain is looking to participate in European purchases of US military equipment for Ukraine, as allies seize on President Donald Trump's more hostile stance toward Russia even if it means financing the weapons themselves.
Defence Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius will discuss what role Britain will play in the purchase programme during a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group on July 21.
The UK's contribution could see it jointly purchasing Patriot air-defence systems with Germany, or separately buying other weapons and munitions from the US for Ukraine, with both options under consideration, according to people familiar with the plans.
Mr Trump this week agreed to supply more material to the government in Kyiv, including Patriots, other air-defence systems and munitions, provided they were funded by Nato allies.
Germany is planning to finance the purchase of two Patriot batteries for Ukraine from the US, with the details of the deal to be negotiated in the coming weeks, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on July 17. Other European allies are yet to make such commitments.
Depending on the configuration, each of the Patriot systems – which are manufactured by RTX Corp – cost about US$1 billion (S$1.28 billion), and the system's missiles about US$4 million each. Mr Trump has also threatened to impose 100 per cent 'secondary tariffs' on Russia if Vladimir Putin doesn't agree to a ceasefire within 50 days.
Talks between the UK, Germany and the US remain at an early stage but British ministers have decided they want to join Germany in participating in Mr Trump's proposal.
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Separately, Germany wants to buy the mid-range Typhon missile system from the US for its own stocks.
'The UK backs the scheme, and we plan to play our full part,' Mr Healey told the House of Commons on July 17. Britain and Germany have agreed to partner in providing critical air-defense missiles to Ukraine, he said.
The Trump-Nato plan will be developed during July 21's meeting – being co-chaired by the UK and Germany – with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte also due to take part.
The aim is to determine which European Nato members are willing to provide more money to purchase Patriots from the US, as well as which countries can spare more Patriots for Ukraine from their own stocks before Russia's next wave of air attacks on its civilian energy infrastructure, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information.
In addition to the delivery of additional equipment, the UK and France agreed last week to establish a military command and control structure for a post-peace force in Ukraine, if a peace deal is eventually agreed.
The command headquarters will be based in Paris for 12 months, before rotating to London. If and when the force is deployed, it will be co-ordinated by another HQ in Kyiv, headed by a UK military officer.
The goal is to regenerate Ukraine's land, air and naval forces by providing logistics, armament and training experts as well as aircraft and additional specialist teams in the Black Sea. Bloomberg
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