The United States intends to ask European allies to purchase more American weapons for Ukraine, while potential peace talks with Moscow are still in the exploratory phase.
If officially approved, this plan could reassure Ukrainian leaders who fear that Donald Trump will halt future assistance to Ukraine, two sources cited by Reuters said.
European countries have previously purchased American weapons for Ukraine during the Biden administration, the news agency mentions.
American officials - including Trump's special representative for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg - plan to discuss potential arms acquisitions with European allies this week at the Munich Security Conference. They say this is one of the ideas being considered to maintain an uninterrupted flow of American weapons to Kiev without significant costs to American taxpayers.
However, Kellogg declined to confirm the plan, telling Reuters: "The United States always likes to sell weapons made in America because it strengthens our economy."
"There are a lot of options out there. Everything is at stake right now," Trump's envoy added.
He added that military aid previously approved by former President Joe Biden is still being delivered to Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte urged the United States at the end of January to continue providing arms to Ukraine, assuring that Europe would cover the costs. He emphasized that if the Trump administration is willing to provide American-made weapons, European countries will foot the bill.
NATO member countries exceeded their target and provided Ukraine with security assistance worth over 50 billion euros (51.60 billion dollars) last year, with Europe and Canada contributing more than half of this amount, a NATO spokesperson cited by Reuters said on Tuesday.
At a summit held last year in Washington, leaders of the 32 NATO member countries promised Ukraine a minimum of 40 billion euros (41 billion dollars) in security assistance.
T.D.