Europeans to pay premium for US arms – Washington
The US is charging European nations an extra 10% for weapons they purchase for onward shipment to Ukraine, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said. He added that the increased price could offset costs for any direct support Washington provides for Kiev.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Bessent dismissed concerns that US taxpayers would foot the bill for Ukraine’s air cover, stressing that one of President Donald Trump’s key goals has been to avoid sending more money to Kiev.
“Right now, we are selling arms to the Europeans who are then selling them on to the Ukrainians. And President Trump’s taking a 10% markup on the arms. So maybe that 10% will cover the cost of the air cover,” he said.
The secretary also recalled that the US and Ukraine had signed a minerals deal that would allow Washington to recoup its investments in the country’s economy, but only once the conflict with Russia has stopped and the partnership has a chance to kick in.
Trump discussed potential security guarantees for Kiev with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and several European leaders on Monday. The US president said that while American ground troops will not be deployed in Ukraine, he noted that Washington could provide some kind of air support. He has also ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine.
The Trump administration has consistently opposed a blank-check policy for Ukraine, announcing a scheme under which the EU would cover “100% of the cost of all military equipment,” much of which would go to Kiev. On Tuesday, the Financial Times reported that Ukraine had proposed that its European backers spend $100 billion to provide it with US weapons.
On Monday, Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to accept certain security guarantees for Ukraine short of NATO membership, which has been a red line for Moscow. Russia has not responded to the remarks.
At the same time, Moscow has consistently denounced Western arms shipments to Ukraine in any form, warning they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome while making NATO a direct participant in the hostilities.
