Ukraine ready to buy ten Patriot systems from US - Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: Getty Images)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with 60 Minutes, said that Ukraine is ready to buy ten Patriot systems from the United States or obtain licenses for their production. According to him, Kyiv is looking for all possible formats to protect civilians.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the United States with a proposal to purchase additional Patriot systems to strengthen the protection of Ukrainian skies from missile attacks.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is ready to spend $15 billion to purchase 10 systems that will be able to protect the largest cities with large concentrations of people.
The President noted that the issue is not about finances - Ukraine is ready to pay for these systems.
“We are ready to pay these 15 billion. We will find this money and pay everything,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
According to Zelenskyy, some European partners have also expressed their willingness to help financially so that Ukraine can get the necessary equipment.
“But the United States says there are no opportunities today, but at the same time they are transferring such systems, for example, to Israel,” he said.
Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is ready for various options for cooperation, including buying licenses for the production of Patriot systems and related missiles. He offered the possibility of leasing these systems from the countries where they are already deployed, and even returning them if necessary.
“We wanted to pay for it, have licenses, and then understand how and in what time frame we can build a complete system of closing our sky,” the Head of State noted.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that there are many formats to ensure Ukraine's defense against Russian attacks, and this requires the desire and support of international partners.
Patriot for Ukraine
Ukraine is currently completely dependent on the United States to provide air defense systems that can shoot down Russian ballistic missiles.
On April 6, Yurii Ihnat, head of the Communications Department of the Air Force Command, said that only American Patriot systems can currently perform this function.
He said this after another air attack on Ukraine. Ihnat added that the Ukrainian Armed Forces provided the US side with information to modernize Patriot and better counter the ballistic missile threat.
It should also be noted that in early March, the United States suspended military aid to Ukraine for several days after the Ukrainian side refused to sign an agreement with the United States on rare earth metals, which recognized Kyiv's allegedly multibillion-dollar debts to Washington.
