European Allies Refuse to Send Patriot Missiles to Ukraine
Fear of Depleting Their Own Stockpiles in a Potential Conflict with Russia Is the Main Reason for Hesitation, The Washington Post Reports.
Fear of Depleting Their Own Stockpiles in a Potential Conflict with Russia Is the Main Reason for Hesitation, The Washington Post Reports.
Several European countries have refused to supply interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, leaving Kyiv's air defense struggling to protect the capital, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing informed sources.
According to the newspaper, the Trump administration earlier this year tried to persuade some European countries to send their Patriot missiles to Kyiv, but they refused, fearing it would weaken their own defense capabilities.
A Ukrainian official confirmed the severity of the situation to The Washington Post. "There are no interceptors now, and I don't believe it will be possible to find them in significant quantities in the coming months," the official said.
Kyiv is aware that interceptors capable of shooting down ballistic targets are crucial, but efforts to secure them have not borne fruit due to partners' unwillingness to weaken their own air and missile defense systems.
A similar situation prevails with launchers for Patriot systems. U.S. pressure on countries like Greece to deliver systems and ammunition to Ukraine has yielded no results, the report states.
Kyiv admits that the missile shortage puts its air defense in a critical position. Sporadic deliveries cannot change the situation on the ground; a large quantity of missiles is needed, which European donors currently do not have, while Russian ballistic missile attacks do not let up.
The main reason for the hesitation of European allies, according to The Washington Post's sources, lies in the fear of depleting their own air defense stockpiles amid a potential conflict with Russia.
