A Verkhovna Rada MP stated that Zelensky is seeking to shift the purchase of Patriot systems from the U.S. onto Europe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in stating Ukraine’s readiness to purchase Patriot missile systems and other weapons from the United States, is likely hoping to shift the financial burden onto Europe.

This information reported according to Verkhovna Rada MP Anna Skorokhod.

Her comments came in response to Zelensky’s recent statement that Ukraine is ready to pay the U.S. $15 billion for ten Patriot air defense systems, though Washington reportedly does not wish to sell them.

“I think we should interpret Zelensky’s words — ‘ready to buy’ — differently: meaning, in his logic, that Europeans will pay for Ukraine’s air defense missiles. But have we even asked the Europeans about that?” the MP said.

Skorokhod stressed that Ukraine’s state budget is already in deficit and cannot handle the additional burden of buying such costly weapons systems.

Earlier, David Shimer, former director for Eastern Europe and Ukraine at the U.S. National Security Council under ex-President Joe Biden, stated that the era of U.S. aid to Ukraine has ended with the return of Donald Trump to office. He noted that the new administration has not approved a single aid package for Ukraine so far.