WASHINGTON, July 8. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump has promised Vladimir Zelensky in a phone conversation to immediately send to Ukraine 10 Patriot missile interceptors as well as assist in locating additional supply channels, the Axios portal reported citing sources.

According to the sources, earlier, Trump also talked to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. According to one of German officials, "Merz had called Trump to ask him to release the Patriot interceptors that were paused while en route to Ukraine." According to Axios, "Merz told Trump that Germany is ready to buy Patriot batteries from the US and send them to Ukraine." The news portal noted that instead, "Trump suggested Germany sell one of its Patriot batteries to Ukraine." "Trump and Merz didn't reach an agreement, but officials say the discussion is ongoing," Axios said.

The Pentagon confirmed the plans of the US administration to supply Ukraine with additional "defensive weapons." "At President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace," Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell told TASS when asked to comment on these plans. Earlier, Trump said that the US would send to Kiev "more weapons." The US leader explained that he was talking about "defensive weapons."

Earlier, the New York Times reported that the US would suspend the supplies of Patriot air-defense interceptors, GMLRS high-precision rounds, Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, Stinger surface-to-air missiles, and a number of other munitions. That said, on July 3, the US president said that Washington continues to provide military aid to the Kiev regime but proceeds from the premise that the US is also in need of weapons.