New US strategy on sending weapons to Ukraine. Administration Biden is in fact accelerating the delivery of interceptor missiles for the Patriot system to Kiev, temporarily interrupting supplies to other allies. This was reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing American officials.
Biden, according to the WSJ, had mentioned this decision last week during the G7 meeting in Puglia declaring that “those countries that expect air defense systems from us in the future will have to wait.”
The decision to redirect anti-aircraft missiles to Ukrainegrappling with an intensification of Russian attacks in the northeast, reflects the West’s production limitations at the defense industry level, underlines the WSJ. Although the Administration has not revealed how many interceptor missiles it will send, a senior US official has disclosed that Ukraine will be given priority over the next 16 months and that the missiles will be delivered to Kiev as soon as they roll off the assembly line. Ukraine will receive interceptors for both the Patriots and Nasams.
According to a congressional official, among the nations that have contracted to purchase interceptors and that probably South Korea and the United Arab Emirates will be penalized by the US Administration’s decision.
As White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby underlined during a briefing, the Biden administration “has made this difficult but necessary decision to reprioritize planned short-term deliveries of military sales to other countries, particularly Patriot and Nasam missiles, to the benefit of Ukraine,” Kirby said.
“Naturally we have informed all the countries affected (by the provision, ed.) that we are undertaking this extraordinary measure and we are making every effort to minimize any negative impact,” he added, explaining that there will be no consequences for the supply of weapons to Israel.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, he said his country urgently needs at least seven more Patriot batteries. The United States said last week it would send an additional Patriot battery to Ukraine and was seeking more systems from allies. There are at least three Patriot batteries currently in Ukraine.
“I am deeply grateful to the president of the United States and to the USA for giving priority to Ukraine in the supply of the air defenses that we fundamentally need to defeat Russian attacks”, thanks the Ukrainian president on social media.
“These additional air defense capabilities will protect Ukrainian cities and civilians. I thank President Biden for the critical support, which we discussed during our recent meeting in Italy,” Zelensky added, underlining that “the partnership between Ukraine and the United States it is strong and unshakable. Together, we are protecting life from terror and aggression.”
Patriot defense system also arriving from Romania
Romania, a NATO member, has meanwhile announced that it will donate a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. “Considering the significant deterioration of the security situation in Ukraine, the members of the Council decided to donate a Patriot system to Ukraine in close coordination with allies,” the Bucharest-based Supreme National Defense Council said in a statement.
The decision has been made “provided that our country continues negotiations with allies, particularly the United States, with the goal of obtaining a similar or equivalent system” to protect its airspace, the Council added, specifying that Romania, which borders Ukraine, also needs “a temporary solution to cover the operational vulnerability that has been created”.
“I am grateful to Romania and President Klaus Iohannis for making the decision to equip Ukraine with an additional Patriot air defense system,” Ukrainian President Zelensky commented on X, underlining that “this crucial contribution will strengthen our air shield and will help us better protect our population and critical infrastructure from Russian air terrorism. I appreciate Romania’s strong leadership and principled support for Ukraine.”
“It is important to underline that This step strengthens security not only in Ukraine, but throughout our region and Europe – he states again -. By ending Russian terror now, Ukraine prevents potential aggression against Moldova, Romania, the Baltic states and all our neighbors. It is critical that Ukraine has the tools necessary to defeat Russian terrorism now, so that no one else faces Russia’s aggressive actions on a larger scale in the future.”
