DM states Germany only has six Patriots left
(MENAFN) Germany currently has only six US-made Patriot air defense systems available, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told the Financial Times, adding that Berlin can no longer reduce its own inventory to supply more to Ukraine.
Since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in February 2022, Ukraine has received several Patriot units, but Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has increasingly called on Western allies for additional support.
In the interview published Sunday, Pistorius explained that two Patriot units have been lent to Poland, and another is unavailable due to maintenance or training. “We only have six left in Germany,” he said, emphasizing that this number is insufficient, especially given NATO’s capability requirements. “We definitely can’t give any more,” the defense minister added.
On Sunday evening, US President Donald Trump expressed willingness to send several Patriot systems to Ukraine but did not clarify whether this meant full air defense systems or just the missiles. Trump also noted that the European Union would cover the costs, describing the arrangement as a business opportunity for the US.
This statement followed the Pentagon’s reversal of its earlier decision to reduce some military aid to Kiev.
Recently, Trump has taken a tougher stance toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticizing him for refusing to end the conflict.
Earlier this month, Trump commented on the high cost of the Patriot systems—valued at roughly $1 billion per battery—saying, “It’s a shame that we have to spend so much money” supporting Ukraine.
Russia claims to have destroyed some of the Western-supplied Patriot systems during the conflict. Moscow maintains that Western military aid cannot alter the war’s outcome but only prolongs the violence and escalates tensions.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
