This was stated by Defense Express military expert Ivan Kyrychevskyi during a broadcast on Espreso.“Regarding Trump’s statement about providing Ukraine with 17 Patriot systems, the real question is — where will they come from? The key issue isn’t the number, but the source. Trump simply outlined the figure, while NATO Secretary General Rutte, who was present, added that the equipment would be transferred from existing European stockpiles, with plans for future replenishment. Large-scale weapons transfers to Ukraine are not just about helping us — it’s also about the U.S. trying to hook Europe onto its military-industrial supply line. And if the delivery of Patriots is accelerated, that creates a new reality we’ll have to survive in,” the expert noted.According to him, 17 Patriot batteries represent the total that Europe could theoretically provide to Ukraine over time.“But there’s also Israel, which loves to talk about how it helps us. As the closest U.S. ally outside NATO, Israel now has a unique opportunity to show its support for Ukraine. Public data shows that they already gave us one of their eight decommissioned Patriot batteries. But there are still seven decommissioned Patriot systems left. So if real effort is made, Israel could cover part of the need at its own expense. We are in a situation where we not only need to survive, but must insist on what we need. In my opinion, the number 17 did not appear by chance. Let’s recall that the President of Ukraine previously stated we need 20 to 25 Patriot batteries to secure our skies. Now compare that figure to 17 and 8,” Kyrychevskyi concluded.On July 14, U.S. President Donald Trump, during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, announced an agreement on supplying weapons to Ukraine, with 17 Patriot systems being prepared for transfer.