Ukraine is poised to receive three Patriot air defense systems and several other defense systems and missiles from Western allies, as announced by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal.
“Today, we have achieved significant results. Italy will provide us with a second SAMP/T system. Romania will offer one Patriot system. Germany will contribute one Patriot system, along with the IRIS-T system and Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns. The Netherlands is currently assembling another Patriot system for us,” Shmyhal shared on Ukraine’s Rada TV channel.
Additionally, the prime minister disclosed that the United States will supply Patriot missiles and the NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system. Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, and Norway will also send additional Patriot missiles. Sweden has committed to sending two radar surveillance planes to Ukraine, Shmyhal added.
In early June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Kyiv had secured agreements with Western nations for more air defense systems, though specific details were not disclosed. Ukrainian officials frequently express concerns about the shortage of air defense systems and missiles, consistently requesting new supplies from their Western allies.
Conversely, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly asserted that new weapons deliveries to Ukraine will not alter the front-line situation but will only prolong the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed this sentiment, stating that any shipments of weapons to Kyiv would be considered legitimate targets by Russia.
Back in June, the United States halted the delivery of Patriot interceptor missiles to prioritize supplying them to Ukraine, as confirmed by U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. Kirby noted that this decision would impact allies relying on the U.S. for Patriot missiles, which are not currently in production. The redirected missiles are expected to arrive in Ukraine within the next few weeks, aligning with the arrival of U.S.-made F-16s capable of carrying AMRAAMs.
Facing a shortage of anti-aircraft systems to counter Russia’s persistent attacks, Ukraine is urging its European allies to implement a no-fly zone in the West by deploying air defense systems in nearby Poland and Romania. Kyiv aims to establish a secure area in western Ukraine to protect industries, energy infrastructure, and civilians from recent Russian strikes.
Lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko questioned, “Why doesn’t NATO deploy Patriot systems near the Polish border? Russian missiles have already breached Polish and Romanian airspace. This would safeguard the borders of Poland and Romania, creating a safe zone in the West and South of Ukraine.”
This sentiment was echoed by several Ukrainian civilian and military officials who spoke to AFP in Kyiv during a recent trip organized by the French Institute of International Relations [IFRI] and the local think tank New Europe Center.
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