Posted on 07/11/2025 9:28:40 AM PDT by RandFan
US President Donald Trump has said he will send weapons, including Patriot air defence systems, to Ukraine via Nato.
Trump told NBC News that in a new deal, "we're going to be sending Patriots to Nato, and then Nato will distribute that", adding that Nato would pay for the weapons.
His announcement came after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of having a "positive dialogue" with Trump about ensuring that arms arrived on time. He said he had asked for 10 Patriot systems after a surge in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in the past week.
Patriot batteries detect and intercept oncoming missiles and are regarded as one of the world's best air defence systems.
Speaking in Rome on Thursday, the Ukrainian leader said Germany was ready to pay for two of the Patriots and Norway for one, while other European partners were also prepared to help.
After a phone-call with Russia's Vladimir Putin last week, Trump said he was "not happy" that progress had not been made towards ending the war, and he has since complained that Putin's "very nice" attitude turned out to be meaningless.
During his interview with NBC News, Trump said he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday, but did not say what it would be about.
He said "Nato is going to reimburse the full cost" of the weapons sent on to Ukraine. Nato is funded through the contributions of its members, external, including the US.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
If there were any way for both sides to lose I’d be in favor of that.
L
True and largely agree
Sucks.
*************
Yeah, right.
Trump is doing the right thing.
‘How Putin’s new drone strategy is changing the war in Ukriaine’ [excerpt]
Russia has in recent weeks dramatically escalated its drone attacks on Ukraine, unleashing near-nightly swarms of unmanned aircraft that rain destruction on cities, power grids, and civilian infrastructure.
The intensified campaign – fueled by a surge in domestic production and support by allies – has plunged entire communities into fear, with residents jolted awake by air raid sirens and the ominous buzz of drones overhead.
A day earlier, Russia unleashed a deadly “massive combined strike” that lasted nearly ten hours, according to Volodymyr Zelensky. About 400 attack drones – nearly 200 of them the “Shahed” type – were used in the assault, which also included 18 missiles, some of them ballistic.
This attack followed Moscow’s largest single-day drone assault to date, which was carried out with 728 explosive drones and decoys on Wednesday, surpassing the previous record of 539 drones fired on Friday by 189, according to the Ukrainian air force.
I said when this whole thing started that it was too bad they both couldn’t lose.
Now Trump is joining in and making it his war.
I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a Patriot system today. -Zelenski
Pissing in the wind.
“Trump said he would make a “major statement” on Russia on Monday”
*************
This is going to prompt some ‘wag the dog’ accusations from the media.
So NATO is coming to the defense of a non NATO nation that is in a war because of the possibility that it will become a NATO member.
Designer Raytheon, Hughes, and RCA
Designed 1969
Manufacturer Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing
Domestic cost: About US$1.09 billion (FY 2022) for a battery; US$4 million for a single PAC-3 MSE missile
Export cost: About US$2.37–2.5 billion for a battery; US$6–10 million (FY 2018) for a single missile
Produced 1976–present
No. built
1,106 launchers in U.S. (483 were in service in 2010)
Over 250 launchers exported to 18 countries
Over 10,000 missiles manufactured
Specifications
Operational range 160 km (99 mi) (max)
Maximum speed
PAC-2 GEM+: 5,630 km/h (3,500 mph)
PAC-3: 6,170 km/h (3,830 mph)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIM-104_Patriot
It's obvious that the Ukraine is getting mauled but Russian troops are taking heavy losses as well
Russia has been devastated internationally.
Russia has had it's gas pipelines destroyed and it's lucrative EU gas concession cut way back. It must sell the bulk of it's oil and gas at cut rate prices to second and third tier customers or to China a bargain basement, distressed asset prices.
Russia has completely lost it's position and influence in the Middle East and it's Iranian client is on the ropes.
Nobody wants to buy Russian weapons because they are proving ineffective against next gen systems and Russia does not have any to sell because all production capacity is being used in the Ukraine.
The economic damage done by the war is going to set Russian economic development back a decade.
Putin's decision to invade Ukraine was one of the most ill advised military operations in modern times, especially since Biden was so weak Russia could have gotten over 90% of what they claim to want by using non military pressure. on Senile Joe
Even though it is Biden's mess, obviously, how is it in our interest for the Russians to conquer Ukraine?
Especially when we made a "guarantee" to back Ukraine after they gave up their nuclear weapons?
So we have to back Ukraine in this war.
Obviously, the goal is to limit nuclear proliferation.
If the Russians end up conquering Ukraine due to us abandoning them, you'll see more countries attempt to acquire nuclear weapons. Ultimately, that is the only way to ensure their national security.
Following is the process a PAC-3 firing battery uses to engage a single tactical ballistic missile with two PAC-3 missiles:
A missile is detected by the AN/MPQ-65 radar. The radar reviews the speed, altitude, behavior, and radar cross-section of the target. If this data lines up with the discrimination parameters set into the system, the missile is presented on the screen of the operator as a ballistic missile target.
In the AN/MSQ-104 Engagement Control Station, the TCO reviews the speed, altitude, and trajectory of the track and then authorizes engagement. Upon authorizing engagement, the TCO instructs his TCA to bring the system’s launchers into “operate” mode from “standby” mode. The engagement will take place automatically at the moment the computer defines the parameters that ensure the highest probability of kill.
The system computer determines which of the battery’s launchers have the highest probability of kill and selects them to fire. Two missiles are launched 4.2 seconds apart in a “ripple”.
The AN/MPQ-65 radar continues tracking the target and uploads intercept information to the PAC-3 missiles which are now outbound to intercept.
Upon reaching its terminal homing phase, the Ka band active radar seeker in the nose of the PAC-3 missile acquires the inbound ballistic missile. This radar selects the radar return most likely to be the warhead of the incoming missile and directs the interceptor towards it.
The ACMs (attitude control motors) of the PAC-3 missile fire to precisely align the missile on the interception trajectory.
The interceptor flies straight through the warhead of the inbound ballistic missile, detonating it and destroying the missile.
The second missile locates any debris which may be a warhead and attacks in a similar manner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIM-104_Patriot
For all we know there is a contract involved and Trump can’t void the contract.
Why the heck won’t people trust the man they elected?!
Its Trump facing the reality of dealing with an imperialist Putin.
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