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Ukraine war briefing: Weapons will be Europe’s support to Ukraine – not Trump’s, Kallas suggests ‘If you promise to give weapons, but somebody else is going to pay, it’s not really given by you’. What we know on day 1,240. Donald Trump’s move to take credit for the additional weapons headed to Ukraine at Europe’s expense has created some mild friction in EU-US relations. “If we pay for these weapons, if EU foreign policy chief said. “So it’s European support, and we are doing as much as we can to help Ukraine … If U promise to give weapons, if say somebody else is going to pay for it, it’s not really given by you, is it? … We welcome Trump’s announcement to send more weapons to Ukraine, although we like to see the US share the burden.”

A meeting of Patriot owner nations and Ukraine donors – aiming to find additional Patriot air defence systems for Kyiv and chaired by Nato’s top military commander – could take place on Wednesday of next week, Reuters reported. A Nato official said the alliance would coordinate weapons deliveries through a mechanism known as Nato Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine based in Germany.

Kurt Volker, a former US ambassador to Nato, predicted Ukraine could ultimately receive 12 to 13 Patriot batteries but it could take a year for them all to be delivered. Trump caused confusion by saying one country had 17 Patriots, some of which would go directly to Ukraine. No Nato member except the US is believed to have that number of Patriot systems.

Ukraine must boost the proportion of weapons made at home to 50% within six months, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared. He said he was counting on his new incoming govt under prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko to deliver on the goal. Zelenskyy said that he, the outgoing PM & new defence minister Denys Shmyhal &  the outgoing defence minister Rustem Umerov had met, decided that defence ministry would have “greater influence in domain of arms production”. “Ukrainian-made weapons now make up about 40% of those used at the front and in our op,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. “This is already significantly more than at any time in our country’s independence … Our goal is to reach 50% Ukrainian-made weaponry within the first six months of the new government, by expanding our domestic production. I am confident this is achievable, though not easy.” Ukraine’s arms production ramp-up so far has emphasised drones and air defences. Zelenskyy has in recent weeks stressed the importance of developing drone interceptors to tackle swarms of attacking drones.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...s-suggests