Trump Confirms Major Weapons Transfer to Ukraine
Speaking to NBC News, Trump confirmed that an agreement has been made to transfer weapons purchased for Ukraine through the NATO Alliance.
Going to start with a hot take. Whatever Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed in Kuala Lumpur at the ASEAN Summit, it did not go well for Russia.
Talking to U.S. media agency NBC News, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that he will authorize the sale of defensive and offensive weapon systems to Ukraine. NATO nations will purchase the weapons and then send them directly to Ukraine. Trump specifically stated that this includes "Patriots."
Earlier today, it was confirmed that when Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met privately at last month's NATO Summit, the Ukrainian leader handed him a list of weapons Kyiv was prepared to buy, including ten full Patriot batteries. It was widely reported this morning that Germany was prepared to fund the purchase of two batteries and Norway was ready to purchase one.
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Other offensive weapon systems have been mentioned, but we won't speculate. There is also the question of up to eight decommissioned Patriot air defense systems that Israel has. Those batteries will need extensive refurbishment before they can be deployed, and experts have told us that, given their age, some parts may no longer be available.
Additionally, Reuters-Thompson reported that Trump is preparing to send $300 million in military aid to Ukraine using Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) funds. This would be the first transfer of the Trump administration and the first time PDA funds were accessed since January 2025. It was widely reported that the tranche will include 155mm artillery rounds, 227mm rockets for HIMARS, and Patriot air defense interceptors.
Finally, Trump said he "might" make "a major statement...on Russia on Monday."
Moscow was swift with a response, with Russian propagandist and head of Russian state media agency RT (Russia Today) Margarita Simonyan stating, "Trump confirms to NBC that he will supply Ukraine new weapons through the thin veneer of NATO ("Promises made, promises..."). If this is the least Deep State president since JFK, we may have to conclude that America is simply unfixable."
Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov went further, threatening to destroy the U.S. using radioactive tidal waves, referencing the Russian wunderwaffe Poseidon. In our assessment, the Poseidon torpedo is about as real as the Oreshnik missile. Furthermore, if you look at U.S. geography, we're baffled by how Russia is going to produce 4,600-meter-high tidal waves to clear the Rocky Mountains.
Moscow also wasted no time going straight to the "things are not going well" playbook, with TASS claiming that "mercenaries" from six NATO nations are now fighting in the Kharkiv region. Sing along with the Malcontent! Up next is Ukraine is preparing CBRN weapons, followed by Ukraine is preparing to invade Moldova or Belarus, followed by a massive attack targeting civilians, even worse than the ongoing attacks.
On social media, the bots have already gone into overdrive.
ASSESSMENT
The third-party purchase of weapons by NATO nations for Ukraine appears to be a done deal. With Trump, it is always unclear whether the Department of Defense and the State Department were informed. There is also the possibility that no such agreement exists with NATO, and Trump is simply winging it. Given the recent statements from the U.K., France, Germany, Norway, and the Czech Republic, we believe that NATO is aware and has authorized the plan.
It is a stunning reversal from just a week ago, when shipments of already authorized military equipment were blocked.
The $300 million in PDA is less clear, and the information comes from a single source. However, Reuters-Thompson has been extremely reliable. Trump may use the PDA funds, but we're less certain about the $300 million figure and what it would include. There is approximately $1 billion in funds that expires on 30 September, and another $2.85 billion that could be used after.
We're even less sure that Trump will make a "major statement" about Russia on Monday, given the use of the word "might." Possible announcements could include moving Senator Graham's (R-SC) "bone-crushing" sanctions bill forward, an executive order placing sanctions on Russia or countries that purchase Russian goods, the use of PDA funds, or even something that benefits Russia. It could ultimately just be a vague statement about the future.
The other wildcard is what diplomatic and back-channel efforts Moscow will undertake, or whether the Kremlin will find the right words to flatter Trump again. Early signals indicate the answer is no. Simonyan takes her marching orders directly from the Kremlin and is part of Putin's inner circle. If she's leading with outrage, that's likely the current talking point.
It is also noteworthy that U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is no longer on the sidelines, and Special Envoy to the Middle East and Russia, Steve Witkoff, has faded from view.
Over the coming week, the world will learn whether U.S. policy on Ukraine is poised for a seismic shift.
Closing thought. Trump did campaign on the promise to end the Russia-Ukraine War in 24 hours, but also warned that if Moscow did not negotiate in good faith, or had no interest in stopping the war, he would "arm Ukraine to the teeth."
Promises made?
Malcontent News is an independent news agency established in 2016 and a Google News affiliate. To remain independent, we are supported by our subscribers and limit advertising. The easiest way to support our team is to subscribe to our Substack.