Trump Approves U.S. Weapons for Ukraine via NATO

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday the United States will begin supplying weapons to Ukraine via NATO, marking a significant shift in his administration’s approach to the war. Speaking to NBC News, Trump explained that under the new arrangement, “we're sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%,” adding that NATO would then distribute them to Ukraine.

This is the first time since returning to office that Trump has agreed to send new weapons to Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority—a mechanism allowing the president to pull arms from existing U.S. military stockpiles during emergencies. Sources familiar with the decision said the aid could be worth up to $300 million.

Trump Frustrated With Putin

Trump’s announcement comes amid growing frustration over the stalled peace process in Ukraine. “I think I'll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday,” he told NBC, though he declined to elaborate.

In recent days, Trump has reportedly grown critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin for failing to demonstrate flexibility in peace negotiations. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that frustration following his own meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Malaysia, where he said “some new ideas” were exchanged but warned against overpromising results.

New Aid, Ongoing Attacks

The decision to activate a fresh aid package follows two consecutive days of heavy Russian bombardment on Kyiv. Ukrainian officials reported 400 drones and 18 missiles fired on Thursday alone, killing at least two and wounding over 20. Earlier in the week, Russia launched a record 728 drones in a single night.

The new aid package may include Patriot missile systems and medium-range rockets, although a final decision on the specific equipment is expected soon.

NATO Cost-Sharing Approach

The plan to route weapons through NATO with full reimbursement represents a political compromise. Trump has frequently criticized NATO for not carrying its financial weight and expressed reluctance to directly fund Ukraine’s defense. The current plan enables the U.S. to supply arms while NATO covers the cost.

Meanwhile, at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, allies pledged over €10 billion ($12 billion) for reconstruction. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used the occasion to urge greater use of frozen Russian assets and continued support for military and economic resilience.