Reuters: Trump administration wants Europe to buy more US weapons for Ukraine

Reuters, citing its sources, reported that US President Donald Trump's administration plans to urge European allies to purchase more American weapons for Ukraine as potential peace talks with Moscow loom.

Reuters, citing two sources familiar with the matter, reports that if officially approved, the plan could help reassure Ukrainian leaders who fear that Trump may cut off future aid.  

The news agency noted that European countries had previously purchased American weapons for Ukraine during Biden’s administration.  

US officials – including Trump’s special representative for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg – plan to discuss potential arms purchases with European allies this week at the Munich Security Conference. They say this is one of several ideas under consideration to keep US weapons flowing to Kyiv without significant costs to American taxpayers.  

However, Kellogg declined to confirm the plan to Reuters, saying, "The US always likes selling weapons made in America because it strengthens our economy".

"There are a lot of options out there. Everything is in play right now," Kellogg said. 

He added that weapons previously approved by former President Joe Biden are still being delivered to Ukraine.  

Notably, at the end of January, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged the US to continue supplying arms to Ukraine, assuring that Europe would cover the costs. He emphasised that if the Trump administration is willing to keep arms flowing from the US defence industry, European nations will foot the bill.

In early February, UK Defence Secretary John Healey convened the 26th Ramstein meeting, set to take place at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, 12 February. For the first time, the United States will not be leading the meeting. 

The group will meet ahead of the NATO defence ministers' summit to discuss priorities for Ukraine and ways to support its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion.