Can Trump's Patriot Missiles Help Ukraine Turn the Tide Against Russia?
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The United States will send additional Patriot air-defense systems to Ukraine, part of a European Union–funded deal intended to bolster Kyiv's defenses against intensifying Russian missile and drone attacks and coming as President Donald Trump is voicing increased frustrations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Sunday, Trump confirmed that Patriots "which they desperately need" would be sent, paid for "100 percent" by European allies. Trump, returning to Washington from New Jersey, added pointedly: "He [Putin] talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening. I don't like it." Trump is expected to announce further measures on Russia in meetings with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and lawmakers this week.
Germany has already agreed to finance at least two Patriot batteries, and Norway reportedly joined in funding additional units. Ukraine currently operates a small number of Patriots donated during the Biden administration but has pleaded for more to defend critical infrastructure and population centers.
This photograph taken during sunset on March 6, 2025 shows Patriot air defence systems installed at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, a logistics hub for US and European military aid to Ukraine, in Jasionka, south-eastern Poland.
This photograph taken during sunset on March 6, 2025 shows Patriot air defence systems installed at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, a logistics hub for US and European military aid to Ukraine, in Jasionka, south-eastern Poland.
Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty Images
What is the Patriot system?
Developed by Raytheon Technologies, the MIM-104 Patriot—short for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target—is a mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, drones and tactical ballistic missiles. A valuable defensive weapon, a typical Patriot battery consists of radar and control units, power supply, launchers and support vehicles.
The system has evolved since its debut in the 1980s. Early PAC-2 missiles used blast-fragmentation warheads, while newer PAC-3 missiles employ a hit-to-kill mechanism for greater accuracy. Depending on the configuration, the Patriot can engage targets up to 100 miles away at altitudes exceeding 14 miles.
Those capabilities don't come cheap. Each battery costs about $1.1 billion, with individual interceptors running $4 million apiece, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
'Not a game changer by itself'
Mark F. Cancian, a senior adviser at CSIS, told Newsweek the major effect of the U.S.-EU deal is intended to be more political than tactical — pressuring Moscow to enter ceasefire negotiations, which Trump emphasized during his press conference.
"The amounts are significant — Trump talked about 'billions of dollars' — but it will take months for the packages to be put together," Cancian said. "I expect announcements of equipment packages of several hundred million dollars every few weeks."
He cautioned that the focus on the Patriot system is disproportionate to its battlefield impact. "There is too much focus on Patriot. It's an important capability but designed to defend against ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. About 10 percent of Russia's attacking missiles are in those categories," Cancian said. "Most of the attacks come from the low-technology suicide drones. For these, Ukraine needs a wide variety of air defense systems, which will likely be in the packages."
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following Russia's drones attack in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire following Russia's drones attack in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
AP
Cancian stressed that Ukraine's needs extend far beyond air defenses. "It also needs weapons, munitions, and supplies across the board since its armies in combat go through these at a high rate," he said.
The EU deal is meant to show the West's united front against Russian aggression, to force Moscow to "participate in ceasefire negotiations," he said. "But the real battlefield need is broader — Ukraine needs a wide range of air defenses for the drones and low-cost attacks they face daily, and they need weapons, munitions, and supplies of all kinds. Patriot is important, but it is not a game changer by itself."
Why is the U.S. sending more aid now?
Trump's decision to broker the EU deal reflects both a response to Ukraine's urgent pleas and his own frustrations with Putin's continued escalation in spite of White House efforts to bring him to the negotiating table. As Trump himself said: "We're not paying anything for them... but we will get them Patriots."
The announcement also reverses a months-long freeze on U.S. weapons shipments to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently told reporters after meetings with European leaders that he had received "all necessary political signals" for aid to resume and described his dialogue with Trump as "constructive and very positive."
The German government confirmed that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will meet U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week to finalize details of the Patriot transfers, amid Berlin's continued refusal to send its long-range Taurus missiles over fears of escalation on European soil.
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