The US State Department has confirmed that Washington remains committed to providing Ukraine with modern air defense systems to protect against Russian missile attacks.
This is reported by Kyiv24
US Position on Assistance to Ukraine
US State Department spokesperson Tammi Bruce emphasized that the United States is the “largest supporter and defender of Ukraine” and is actively supporting efforts to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Ukrainian army. According to her, the US aims for Ukraine to have all the necessary means to counter air threats and regularly discusses this issue with European partners who possess the relevant air defense systems.
“We want them to have air defense capabilities. We want them to be able to counter missiles that are flying at them. We know that discussions have taken place regarding our European partners who have these systems transferring them to Ukraine. There are various negotiations and aspects related to this dynamic that do not involve the State Department. This includes munitions, procurement, and everything else,” Tammi Bruce said during a briefing.
She also added that the US remains fully committed to ending the war and continues to support Ukraine on the international stage. Bruce emphasized that she cannot disclose details of the negotiations, but Washington remains focused on facilitating an end to the conflict.
Statements from the Ukrainian Side and US Reaction
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently reported that Kyiv is still awaiting a concrete response from the US regarding the procurement of air defense systems. In his video address on June 7, he highlighted the importance of receiving positive signals from the American side, which would strengthen the country’s air defense.
In April, Zelensky noted that Ukraine is ready to purchase ten Patriot systems, but negotiations for additional systems remain open. He also emphasized the complexity of agreements with partners regarding the supply of these systems.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker stated on June 4 that the issue of future assistance to Ukraine is still under consideration by the Trump administration. According to him, the main goal of Washington at this time is to maintain options for ending hostilities, so a decision on new assistance has not yet been made.
At the same time, the State Department spokesperson declined to comment on reports of a possible redirection of some American defense weapons from Ukraine to the Middle East.