Paying for key military equipment is the viewed as the only remaining option, given Trump’s aversion to continuing supporting Kyiv out of his long-standing desire to improve relations with Russia.
Privately, European officials also explored the possibility of financing future deliveries of U.S. weapons to Ukraine.
U.S. military aid to Ukraine—approved during President Joe Biden’s tenure—is running low, and the Trump administration has not considered a new package, the report noted.
NATO representatives said the situation would not lead to a complete collapse of Ukraine’s defenses and that the country could hold out another year under current conditions.
“Our judgment is it would not lead to a total collapse in 12 months,” an unnamed NATO official said.
“You’d still have another year probably, but Ukraine … would be remarkably lean.”
Three European officials said Ukraine’s Western partners might persuade Trump to sell arms if funding is provided or if Ukraine secures loans. One official said the decision would ultimately depend on Trump’s wishes, noting that his administration is reluctant to take actions that might anger Moscow or undermine efforts at peace talks or rapprochement with Russia.
Kyiv has signaled that if Zelenskyy meets with Trump in The Hague, he plans to propose purchasing a “large package” of U.S. air defense systems. While both presidents are expected to attend the event, the summit’s schedule was drafted to limit their interaction: allies hope to avoid a repeat of the explosive meeting in the Oval Office on Feb. 28.