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🇱🇹 Lithuania /Conflict & Security

Trump wants Europe to reimburse the United States for weapons supplied to Ukraine

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Ongoing story
  • Donald Trump said he would ask European countries to reimburse the United States for weapons and ammunition previously supplied to Ukraine.
  • The Kiel Institute for the World Economy puts total U.S. aid to Ukraine at 115.38 billion euros, including 64.62 billion euros in military assistance, while Europe and EU institutions provided 230.5 billion euros.
  • Trump has cited higher aid figures than official data and said future weapons deliveries would be funded by Europe or Ukraine rather than provided free of charge.

Donald Trump says Europe should repay the United States for military assistance and ammunition previously sent to Ukraine, arguing that Washington’s allies have benefited from American spending.

“Hundreds of billions of dollars were given free of charge to Ukraine and NATO, although Europe should have paid for it if only it had been asked. But we will ask for the money, even if somewhat late,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Hundreds of billions of dollars were given free of charge to Ukraine and NATO, although Europe should have paid for it if only it had been asked. But we will ask for the money, even if somewhat late.

· Donald TrumpTrump said on Truth Social that European countries should reimburse U.S. spending on aid and ammunition.

Data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which tracks aid to Ukraine, puts total U.S. assistance at 115.38 billion euros. Military aid accounts for 64.62 billion euros, with the remainder consisting of financial and humanitarian support. By the nominal value of aid, the United States ranks first among Ukraine’s allies. Measured as a share of gross domestic product, it ranks 16th or 17th, depending on the type of support.

I am also helping Ukraine, but now they have to pay for it themselves. So Europe pays for it.

· Donald TrumpHe described his shift from free assistance to weapons funded by Europe or Ukraine.

European countries and EU institutions have provided 230.5 billion euros and have pledged another 160.6 billion euros for the future. Trump has repeatedly cited much larger figures than official estimates. In June, he said the Biden administration had supplied Ukraine with $350 billion worth of aircraft, weapons and other equipment. Two days before his latest post, he said Joe Biden had given Ukraine more than $300 billion in weapons for free.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has ended the policy of free aid to Kyiv and shifted toward commercial arrangements, saying Europe or Ukraine must pay for weapons. He has also suggested that weapons sales to NATO allies are currently paused but could soon resume. His claims about U.S. weapons stocks have faced conflicting reports: he said the United States was increasing its reserves, while reports cited depleted supplies after the war with Iran, including fewer than 1,700 Patriot missiles and more than two years potentially needed to rebuild that stock.

We are keeping them for ourselves, for the United States, rather than selling them to others. But sales to allies will soon resume.

· Donald TrumpHe referred to a reported pause in weapons sales to NATO allies.
About this summary

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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