Europe willing to invest in security — military expert on Ukraine’s proposal to buy U.S. weapons

This opinion was expressed by military expert and Director of Development at the media and consulting company Defense Express, Valerii Ryabykh, during a broadcast on Espreso TV.

"This also indicates Ukraine's growing maturity. We are gradually moving away from relying solely on external aid and beginning to take responsibility for solving our own issues. The source of funding for such purchases is a separate matter. In the long term, these funds may come from the Ukrainian economy, but currently, there is a high likelihood that European countries are ready to pay such amounts — or even more — for their own security. In this context, purchasing weapons from the United States using Ukrainian and European funds becomes a significant contribution not only to Ukraine’s security but to that of the whole of Europe," Ryabykh noted.

The Ukrainian President’s statement, first and foremost, is an address to the President of the United States. It indicates that a formal request has already been made and is currently being processed at the working level.

"This process may involve relevant agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense and the State Department, which is responsible for international policy. Negotiations are also ongoing with companies that already have active contracts," Ryabykh said.

Within the framework of the U.S. security assistance initiative for Ukraine, billions of dollars have already been allocated to stimulate the U.S. defense industry. Weapons supply orders are scheduled through 2027. This includes Patriot systems, missiles for them, NASAMS, and other systems manufactured by American suppliers and funded by U.S. taxpayers as part of aid to Ukraine, the expert explained.

Currently, the goal is to ramp up these deliveries, as the six Patriot systems ordered for Ukraine could be supplemented with several dozen more.

"We need a large number of such systems for Ukraine’s sustainable development in a hostile environment. Ukraine is becoming an essential component of Europe’s overall security. Therefore, this is a strong argument for everyone, including the military lobby and sponsors of the Republican Party, who are also key influencers of the U.S. administration," Ryabykh concluded.

• Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is willing to purchase a large aid package from the United States and will consider it as a security guarantee.