European nations with Patriot missiles hesitate to give them to Ukraine

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BRUSSELS – European Union countries that possess Patriot air defense systems gave no clear signal on Monday whether they would be willing to supply them to Ukraine, which is desperately seeking at least seven of the missile batteries to help defend against airstrikes. Russians.

Russia’s air force is much more powerful than Ukraine’s, but sophisticated missile systems provided by Kiev’s Western partners can pose a major threat as Kremlin forces slowly advance along the Ukrainian front line. approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the war.

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Only Germany has fielded a single Patriot missile battery in response to Ukraine’s latest request.

At a meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers, Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot said the Netherlands is “considering all kinds of possibilities at the moment” and is offering financial support to an initiative German to help Ukraine strengthen its air defenses and buy more drones.

When asked why the Netherlands is reluctant to ship some of its Patriot systems, Slot said: “We are looking again at whether we can deplete our warehouse of what we still have, but that will be difficult.”

Last week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the military organization “has mapped out existing capabilities across the alliance and there are systems that can be made available to Ukraine.” He did not name the countries that own Patriots.

The Patriot is a guided missile system that can target aircraft, cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles. Each battery consists of a truck-mounted launch system with eight launchers that can accommodate up to four missile interceptors each, a ground radar, a control station and a generator.

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A key advantage of the American-made systems, in addition to their effectiveness, is that Ukrainian troops are already trained to use them.

But Patriots take a long time to make (up to two years, some estimates suggest), so countries are reluctant to give them up and leave themselves exposed. Germany had 12, but now supplies three to Ukraine. Poland, which borders Ukraine, has two and needs them for its own defenses.

Asked if his country would provide any, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said: “I do not exclude that possibility, but at the moment we are focused on financial contributions.” He said Sweden would send other systems that could “relieve some of the pressure” on the Patriots’ need.

Jonson also noted that more U.S. deliveries of air defense systems could come after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a package over the weekend of $61 billion in support, including $13.8 billion for Ukraine to buy weapons. .

Asked if Spain could take a step on the side of the Patriots, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, said that his country “will make its decisions based on the power it has in its hands to support Ukraine.”

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“I don’t think we are helping anyone if we hear all the time what is given, when it is given and how it comes in,” he said at the meeting in Luxembourg.

Journalists repeatedly asked EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who chaired the talks, why countries seem so reluctant to step forward. Many in Europe feel that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not simply invade Ukraine if he wins the war there.

Borrell said the EU itself does not possess Patriot missile systems. “The Patriots are in the capitals and it’s up to them to make the decisions,” he said. “Now everything has been said and there are many things to do.”

NATO tracks weapons stocks held by its 32 member countries to ensure they can execute the organization’s defense plans in times of need.

But Stoltenberg said Friday that if falling below the guidelines is “the only way NATO allies can provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs to defend itself, well, that’s a risk we have to take.”

Beyond providing new Patriot batteries, Stoltenberg said it is also important for countries to make sure the batteries they ship are in good condition and have spare parts and plenty of interceptor missiles.

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In a separate development at Monday’s meeting, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis expressed concern about possible Russian sabotage against facilities in Europe used to train Ukrainian troops.

Two Russian-German men were arrested in Germany last week on suspicion of espionage, one of them accused of agreeing to carry out attacks on potential targets, including US military facilities, prosecutors said. The United States has several military bases in Germany.

“We are witnessing very similar events in our region, not only in Lithuania but also in Latvia and Estonia,” Landsbergis told reporters.

“There appears to be a coordinated action against European countries coming from Russia,” he said. “We have to find a way to deal with the threat… because Russia is fighting not only against Ukraine but also against the West.”

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