The key facts
- Rubio: Israel is 'a prosperous and wealthy enough country' to buy weapons on its own
- A new memorandum of understanding is being discussed; deliveries will continue on a commercial basis
- The current 2016 memorandum provides for $38 billion through 2028; ending the payments early requires Congress's consent
Washington wants to end the payments
Donald Trump's administration intends to stop, as soon as possible, the annual allocation of about $4 billion to Israel for the purchase of American weapons. This was announced to journalists in Paris by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Life.ru reports. According to him, the president believes that Israel is 'now a prosperous and wealthy enough country to buy [American weapons]'.
A new memorandum and the role of Congress
Rubio noted that representatives of the two countries are already discussing a new memorandum of understanding that will change the existing framework of defense cooperation: deliveries of equipment and ammunition will continue, but on a commercial basis. 'They can buy weapons from us, but we should no longer provide financing. The Israeli side itself proposed this,' the secretary of state emphasized. When asked about the transition to such a system in 2027, he replied that this is exactly the task Trump set; the agreement under discussion may also provide for joint production of military products, since Israel has a well-developed defense industry of its own.
What changes compared to the previous arrangement
The current ten-year memorandum, signed in 2016, provides for $38 billion in aid and runs through 2028: $33 billion for military financing and another $5 billion for missile defense programs. Ending the payments early will require resolving issues with the US Congress, which approves budget appropriations. Earlier, Life.ru reported that Trump announced an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the annual payments: according to the American president, the decision was agreed upon several months ago and is to take effect after the end of 2026, while Trump did not rule out further support for the ally if necessary.
