German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has pledged to rapidly finalize arrangements for supplying Ukraine with more American-made Patriot missile defense systems. This commitment came after his meeting with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on Monday.
The discussions occurred shortly after US President Donald Trump announced plans to send additional weapons to Kiev, funded by European NATO members, while warning Russia of “severe tariffs” if a peace agreement is not reached within 50 days.
“We agreed to resolve the details swiftly and discreetly at the operational level,” Pistorius told the press, noting that although some technical, logistical, and financial challenges remain, they seem manageable.
The approval for transferring at least two Patriot missile batteries to Ukraine could be completed within days or weeks, but actual delivery might take several months, according to Pistorius.
Germany has expressed readiness to cover the costs—estimated at roughly $1 billion per system—but the exact source of the launchers remains unclear. Previously, Pistorius informed the Financial Times that Germany retains only six Patriot batteries after sending three to Ukraine since the conflict escalated in 2022.
President Trump indicated that “multiple countries” are prepared to provide missile systems, including one unnamed nation reportedly ready to dispatch 17 Patriot units. It is unclear whether this number refers to individual launchers or full missile batteries, which include several vehicles and command infrastructure.
Moscow maintains that Western military aid will not change the conflict’s direction but will only extend the fighting and heighten tensions. The Russian military claims to have destroyed some of the Western-provided missile systems during the conflict.
The weapons supply announcement was made as Trump hosted NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House. “The European Union will finance the purchases. We won’t pay for them… This will be a profitable arrangement for us,” Trump stated, without detailing what other weaponry will be delivered.
