Germany urges US to provide Ukraine with at least one Patriot system - Bloomberg

Berlin's campaign of pressure on its transatlantic ally is part of a coordinated effort to force NATO and EU partners to increase air defense assistance to Ukraine, sources said.

This week, Germany will also continue to pressure European allies, including France and Italy, to assess what they can provide.

Germany's push is a kind of reversal of the role of Scholz, whose government has often been criticized for delaying arms deliveries since Russia's invasion. The German leader remains opposed to sending Kyiv the long-range Taurus missiles, arguing that such supplies risk making the country a party to the war.

But Scholz has spearheaded efforts to send more Patriot and other air defense systems to Ukraine as the war-torn country faces increasingly frequent attacks that are crippling its energy infrastructure and urban centers.

Air defense for Ukraine

Recent weeks have seen a significant increase in the intensity of Russian air attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Massive missile attacks by the Russian Federation have depleted Ukraine's air defense systems. This allowed Russian troops to cause significant damage, including the destruction of thermal power plants and combined heat and power plants.

In response to the critical situation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that only 25 American Patriot air defense systems were needed to reliably protect the country's airspace.

Germany was the first to respond to Ukraine's call for help with air defense systems. The German authorities have taken an inventory of their stocks and have launched a search for additional systems around the world.

As a result of these efforts, Germany decided to provide Ukraine with another Patriot system.

However, Ukraine's priority is not only Patriot but also Samp-T systems, which are also capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. Negotiations are currently underway to receive two Patriot batteries and one Samp-T battery.