In a sharp pivot from the policies of his predecessor, US President Donald Trump has announced that NATO allies will now be expected to pay the full cost of American-made weapons, with some of those arms potentially earmarked for delivery to Ukraine. The statement, made during an interview with NBC on July 11, reflects a broader strategic recalibration by the Trump administration that places the financial burden of Western military support squarely on European shoulders.

“We send weapons to NATO, and NATO is going to reimburse the full cost of those weapons,” Trump declared. “NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%.”

The remarks come amid a deepening debate over the role of US taxpayers in funding global security commitments. Under Trump’s directive, the United States will no longer act as the default weapons supplier without full monetary compensation, even in cases involving indirect support to Ukraine through NATO intermediaries.

While Trump stopped short of explicitly confirming whether the weapons he referenced were part of a broader European plan to channel arms to Ukraine via NATO, the implication was clear: America will provide military equipment only if reimbursed in full, and European allies may choose to pass those weapons to Kyiv at their discretion.

This approach signals a potential bureaucratic complication for ongoing discussions within NATO. Reports from Politico last week suggested that European members were exploring a scheme to collectively procure weapons for Ukraine, a proposal still under review. However, even under such a plan, US approval would remain a prerequisite for the transfer of any American-origin equipment – a........

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