Former US President Donald Trump's statement during the NATO summit in The Hague regarding the possible transfer of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine left a lot of room for interpretation. As former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ogryzko noted in an interview with Ukrinform, avoiding a direct refusal from Trump is already a positive signal that gives diplomacy a chance.
"Trump did not say a clear 'yes', but he did not say 'no' either. This means that the situation is not yet closed and we can continue working in this direction," said Ogryzko. He emphasized that information is already circulating in political circles about the possible transfer of five Patriot systems to Ukraine, most likely on terms of sale.
According to the diplomat, the task of the Ukrainian side is to make this idea politically advantageous for Trump so that it remains at the center of his foreign policy rhetoric.
Ogryzko assessed the results of the summit in The Hague positively. In particular, the decision to remove barriers in the field of military production may open new channels for the supply of weapons. Even if the US administration decides not to provide weapons directly, it can do so through allies in Europe.
This flexible approach allows us to adapt to the political situation in Washington, which, judging by the statements of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is moving towards a diplomatic settlement of the war, with a focus on a compromise between Kyiv and Moscow.
However, even in this context, the Patriot topic remains alive: during a press conference, Trump confirmed that the US is considering the possibility of supplying ammunition for these systems. And although The Telegraph writes about intentions to change the approach to the war in Ukraine, a complete refusal of assistance has not yet occurred.
Analysts note that it is critically important right now to keep the Patriot issue on the US political agenda. And diplomatic flexibility, as experience shows, can be a key tool in this fight.
