Will Ukraine get 300 Patriot missiles by winter? European Commissioner weighs in
Photo: Andrius Kubilius (Getty Images)
Ukraine is unlikely to secure the number of Patriot missiles it needs before winter, as this largely depends on the United States, said European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
"This (Patriot missiles – ed.) is indeed what Ukraine is asking for, and we are looking for ways to help. But it largely depends on the member states and on the position of the United States - whether they will be able to sell Ukraine additional missiles," Kubilius said.
According to him, the problem is that Patriot missiles have so far been produced only in limited quantities, with manufacturing concentrated primarily in the United States. There is now a prospect of licensing production for Ukraine.
"We know that Germany has already received a production license and is building dedicated manufacturing capacity. But this winter, the shortage of Patriot missiles is likely to remain a serious issue," the European Commissioner for Defense and Space stressed.
Air defense missile shortage
One of Ukraine's biggest challenges remains the shortage of missiles for Patriot air defense systems, which are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.
Against this backdrop, Russia increasingly uses ballistic missiles during its large-scale air attacks. During several recent strikes, Ukraine's air defenses failed to intercept any ballistic missiles.
That is why, on July 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would like to receive 300 Patriot missiles from its allies before winter.
According to Zelenskyy, if Ukraine's defenders have enough missiles to intercept incoming targets, Russia will have fewer reasons to prolong the war until the winter.
