ISTANBUL
Ukraine has a real chance to obtain five US-made Patriot air defense systems following US President Donald Trump’s non-committal but notably not negative comments at a NATO summit in The Hague, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko said Friday.
“Trump did not say ‘no,’ and that’s already better than a clear refusal,” Ohryzko told the National News Agency of Ukraine, or Ukrinform, adding that it offers an opportunity for Ukraine to intensify its push for the Patriots, possibly through a sales scheme.
“This is an extremely important signal,” he said. “We need to do everything we can to support this initiative and create a political background that makes it beneficial for Trump to go ahead with it.”
Ohryzko believes Ukraine’s allies can step in if Washington hesitates. “Even if the US, for political reasons, at some stage does not want to directly supply us with weapons, they can do so indirectly -- through European partners,” he added, emphasizing the flexibility of arrangements.
He praised the summit’s decision to ease barriers on military production, calling it a major step for Ukraine’s defense sector.
The remarks came after the White House declined to comment on reports of new Patriot-related talks between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, citing confidentiality.
Trump said during the summit, however, “Let’s see if we can make them available,” when asked about Ukraine’s request for the systems.
The US previously supplied Patriot systems to Ukraine, but new deliveries had stalled amid political shifts and logistical constraints.