Reuters: Some allies learned of Trump's Ukraine plan only after it was announced

A number of NATO allies learned about US President Donald Trump's plan to purchase weapons for Ukraine only after it was publicly announced. This was reported by Reuters with reference to unnamed interlocutors familiar with the matter.

During a meeting with Trump in the Oval Office on Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte mentioned six countries – Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Canada – that are ready to participate in the arms purchase scheme.

Officials at the two countries' embassies in the United States told Reuters that they personally learned of the plan immediately after it was announced. Even close U.S. allies appear to have learned of the proposal in real time, the reporters said.

"I have a distinct feeling that no one was informed of the exact details in advance. I also suspect that in the administration, they are only now starting to figure out what this means in practice," said one of the interlocutors.

In response to a request for comment, the Pentagon referred to Trump's statement on Monday announcing his deal with Rutte.

According to 10 officials in the US and Europe, the extent of support for Ukraine will depend on upcoming negotiations on who will provide what equipment.

The main question is who will deliver the Patriot batteries and when.

"As always in these cases, the devil is in the details," said the ambassador of a Nordic country to Washington.

The plan that Trump and Rutte have developed in recent days, according to two people familiar with the discussions, has been welcomed by Ukraine and its allies.

Leaders in Kyiv and elsewhere welcomed the significant change in tone by Trump, who until recent weeks had spoken admiringly of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Some in Europe expressed disappointment that they were actually having to pay for Trump's statement.

• On July 14, Trump said that NATO and the United States had signed an agreement to supply weapons to Ukraine at the expense of European allies.
• On July 15, it became known that Sweden would contribute to efforts to increase arms supplies to Ukraine after Trump's decision to sell weapons through NATO, while Finland has not yet decided whether to participate in the initiative.
• Denmark and the Netherlands also confirmed their participation in the project to purchase weapons. At the same time, the Czech Republic will not participate in the initiative.