Today at 11:59
Ukraine has asked Germany to provide dozens of additional Patriot interceptor missiles from its existing stockpiles this year to strengthen the country’s air defenses against ongoing Russian attacks.
According to Bloomberg, cited by UATV English, Kyiv has proposed an arrangement under which it would receive interceptor missiles now and later transfer to Germany Patriot missiles expected to be produced in the future.
Sources familiar with the matter said the proposal reflects a global shortage of Patriot missiles and the inability of US manufacturers to meet demand in the short term.
In April, Ukraine secured a €4 billion military assistance package from Germany that included funding for hundreds of missiles for the US-made MIM-104 Patriot air defense system.
The German government is currently reviewing Ukraine’s request and has not yet made a decision. According to one source, an announcement could come shortly before or during the NATO summit in July.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed details of an agreement with the United States and other partners regarding the supply of additional Patriot systems, for which funding is now being urgently sought.
Meanwhile, Switzerland, which ordered five Patriot systems in 2022 with deliveries originally scheduled for 2026–2028, has seen those timelines pushed back by four to five years due to the war in Ukraine.
As a result, Switzerland announced in May that it would consider purchasing air defense systems from alternative suppliers.
Read also: The US House of Representatives Approves Up to $9 Billion in Support for Ukraine
