Donald Trump puts 10pc price increase on weapons sold to Europe for Ukraine defence
'We are selling arms to Europeans, who are then selling them on to the Ukrainians, and President Trump is taking 10pc mark-up on the arms,' Mr Bessent told Fox News.
'So maybe that 10pc will cover the cost of the air cover.'
Earlier this week, Mr Trump said he would be willing to use US air power to support a European security force in Ukraine as part of any settlement to end the war with Russia.
European nations have already pledged to buy at least $10bn (€8.5bn) in US-made military equipment for Kyiv in recent weeks.
Ukraine has also tabled a proposal that would see the country promise to buy a further $90bn worth of hardware after its war with Russia comes to an end.
Mr Trump has insisted for some time that he will no longer spend US taxpayers' money on supporting Ukraine, the defence of which he believes is a problem for European nations.
Planning for a multinational force to be sent to Ukraine has been accelerated after the US president signalled he would be willing to contribute during talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, and European leaders.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump blamed Ukraine 'for taking on a nation that's 10 times' its size – despite it being Russia who invaded.
The president was speaking on Fox & Friends on Tuesday morning, where he was gently quizzed about Monday's meeting at the White House with Mr Zelensky and European leaders following last week's Alaska summit with Putin.
Co-host Ainsley Earhardt asked Mr Trump whether any land swaps between the warring countries were discussed, to which the president responded by saying that Ukraine would 'get a lot of land,' before he launched into a ramble about Russia's military might.
'Russia is a powerful military nation. You know, whether people like it or not, it's a powerful nation. It's a much bigger nation,' Mr Trump said. 'It's not a war that should have been started. You don't do that. You don't take on a nation that's 10 times your size.'
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