US President Donald Trump is considering supplying air-launched JASSM missiles to the Ukrainian armed forces, according to Military Watch Magazine. These missiles would be intended for Ukraine's growing fleet of F-16 fighter jets, which, although they are outdated Cold War-era variants, could serve as effective platforms for launching these weapons from a safe distance behind allied lines.
The JASSM missiles have a range of approximately 370 km, while their JASSM-ER modification has a range of up to 1,000 km. According to a report by Axios, Trump plans to announce a new plan to arm Ukraine on Monday, July 14, 2025, which is likely to include the delivery of long-range weapons capable of hitting targets deep in Russian territory, including Moscow. However, the final decision is not yet known.
Earlier, Trump said the US would send Ukraine additional weapons, including Patriot anti-aircraft systems, paid for by the European Union. According to a renowned military expert Nico Langequoted in Bild, Trump is trying to build on the commitments of his predecessor Joe Biden, but with the proviso that weapons for Ukraine will be financed by European partners, not US taxpayers. In this way, the president wants to reassure his conservative supporters who are calling for an end to US aid to Kiev.
Lange said the new aid package is likely to include Patriot missiles, M-Shorad air defence systems, air-to-air missiles, JASSM missiles and up to three Patriot systems, two of which will be paid for by Germany and one by Norway. JASSM missile deliveries were already in the pipeline during the Biden administration in August-September 2024, according to Trump "only pulled ready-made plans from the stash". But Lange criticizes that the renewed debate on "offensive" and "defensive" weapons represents a step backwards and suggests that Trump is starting "from scratch".
On the other hand, The American Conservative warns that the US may again suspend military aid to Ukraine because of its global overstretch. According to the article, US foreign policy, based on maintaining global dominance, is unsustainable in an emerging multipolar world where countries like Russia and China are actively defending their interests.
The overstretch of the US military and defence industry, involved in conflicts in various parts of the world, leads to an inevitable cut-off of aid. The article criticizes poor strategic planning and the over-reliance of allied countries on the US, which continues to take the lead instead of delegating responsibility. For example, the Pentagon continues to expand its presence in the Middle East, despite declaring other priorities such as Asia. According to the newspaper, this situation complicates Trump's efforts to share the burden with allies.
TASS/gnews.cz - GH