Financial Times names countries with which Ukraine is negotiating air defense systems

After the devastating massive Russian attacks that caused significant damage to the Ukrainian energy system, Ukraine began looking for additional Patriot systems. In particular, Kyiv has sent relevant requests to Poland and Spain. It is also asking Romania to consider the possibility of transferring SAMP/T.

However, these European countries are in no hurry to respond to the requests, arguing that they need to preserve their own defense capabilities. This was reported by the Financial Times, citing its own sources.

One of the interlocutors of the publication emphasized that Ukraine desperately needs only a few Patriot batteries to defend itself, but even their Western partners cannot find them for a country that is being attacked by Russia every day.

"They need only seven (Patriot batteries - Ed.). However, everything is complicated," the source said.

In general, according to EU High Representative Josep Borrell, there are about a hundred weapons in the arsenal of Ukraine's Western partners that the West can do without. Therefore, according to the diplomat, the fact that they cannot allocate only seven of them to Ukraine is "unbelievable."

According to FT, Ukraine has at least three Patriot batteries and one SAMP/T battery.

Germany has handed over two Patriot systems and, as German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock noted, "cannot offer more yet."

Poland is also not ready to share Patriot SAMs with Ukraine, with President Andrzej Duda stating that the Polish air defense system has only just begun to be created.

On the other hand, Finnish President Alexander Stubb is convinced that decisions on the admissibility of reducing the minimum strategic stockpile of certain weapons for transfer to the Ukrainian Armed Forces should be made by the military command of individual EU countries and should remain confidential.

"Ukraine's demands have drawn attention to strategic minimum defense levels and whether European NATO states will decide to go below their own minimum levels necessary to protect their states in order to send equipment to Ukraine," the FT writes.

As a reminder, on April 12, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukrainian diplomats are actively negotiating with partner countries to strengthen Ukraine's air defense system. Currently, the possibility of supplying two Patriot batteries and one SAMP/T is being discussed.

Kuleba emphasized that Kyiv knows exactly where to get these systems, which would help Ukraine defend its cities from brutal Russian attacks. And if the partners agree, Ukraine will receive additional protection in a few weeks.

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