Germany agrees to deliver Patriots to Ukraine
While some members of the US-led military bloc have agreed to procure weapons for Kiev, others, including Italy, Hungary, and France, have opted out, citing limited resources and domestic security needs.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has confirmed that Berlin will deliver five Patriot systems from its own inventory, despite previous statements that the remaining stocks were too low to support additional transfers. He said the US has agreed to supply Germany with replacement systems originally ordered by Switzerland, though delivery is not expected until 2027-2028.
'We will coordinate closely in the coming days to determine how best to achieve this,' Pistorius said following a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. He added that Germany will also provide air defense ammunition and fund Ukrainian-made long-range drones.
Berlin has already sent three of its 12 Patriot batteries to Ukraine. Two more are currently stationed in Poland, and others are used for NATO operations and training. Germany currently only has six, according to Pistorius.
Officials have not said when Ukraine will receive the new batch.
Germany's commitment to increase military aid to Ukraine has been met with backlash. Opposition figures have slammed the government for spending billions on Kiev while domestic needs remain unmet.
While Patriot systems have been one of Kiev's top demands from the West, the Wall Street Journal reported last week that the systems have struggled to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that it destroyed three Patriot launchers in Ukraine.
Moscow has criticized Western military aid to Ukraine, arguing that it only prolongs the conflict without altering the eventual outcome.
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