Trump claims that NATO is going to pay for the weapons being shipped to Ukraine- Given the fact that the US is the largest funder of NATO- is it safe to assume the US will still be paying for these weapons?
“The combined wealth of the non-US Allies, measured in GDP, is almost equal to that of the United States. However, non-US Allies together spend less than half of what the United States spends on defence.“
“events of 11 September 2001, after which the United States significantly increased its defence spending. The volume of US defence expenditure represents approximately two thirds of the defence spending of the Alliance as a whole“
US President Donald Trump has announced that Patriot missile systems intended for Ukraine are currently en route from Germany, as part of a NATO-backed arrangement in which the United States will be fully reimbursed.
Speaking to reporters after a campaign event in Pennsylvania, Trump emphasized that the missile systems are being provided under a cost-recovery deal, meaning there will be no financial loss for the US.
“They’re already being shipped. They’re coming in from Germany and then replaced by Germany,” Trump said. “In all cases, the United States gets paid back in full.”The statement comes amid increasing calls from Kyiv for more advanced air defense systems, particularly Patriot batteries, to counter ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
While Trump has frequently voiced skepticism about US financial aid to Ukraine during his campaign, his recent comments suggest that support for Ukraine may continue under a framework that shifts more of the burden to European NATO allies.
The specific details of the reimbursement mechanism remain unclear, but based on earlier reports, several European nations—particularly Germany, the Netherlands, and Romania—have pledged additional Patriot systems or components to bolster Ukraine’s defenses this summer.