Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin and recently vowed to bolster Ukraine's defenses. After a phone call on Thursday, July 3, Trump criticized Putin's handling of ceasefire talks and resumed paused weapons shipments following pressure from Kyiv and U.

The American-made Patriot surface-to-air missile system has been a workhorse for Kyiv in defending against Russian attacks.

The US Army plans to spend more than $1.3 billion on Patriot missiles for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, and has quietly quadrupled its overall purchase target for the air defense weapon that has proven critical not just for Ukraine but also for US forces in the Middle East.