Germany ready to buy US Patriot systems for Ukraine, Merz says
Berlin is ready to purchase Patriot air defense systems from the United States and transfer them to Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on July 10 amid an uptick in Russian aerial strikes, Sky News reported.
Merz's statement came hours after another large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine. Moscow's forces launched 397 drones and 18 missiles overnight, primarily targeting Kyiv, killing two people and injuring at least 24 others.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, Merz said he had asked U.S. President Donald Trump last week to supply Patriots to Ukraine.
"We are also prepared to purchase additional Patriot systems from the U.S. to make them available to Ukraine," the German chancellor said.
"The Americans need some of them themselves, but they also have a lot of them," he added.
A final decision on the delivery has not yet been made, Merz said.
A day before, on July 9, Trump said that his administration is "going to have to take a look" at supplying Ukraine with another Patriot system.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the White House is considering sending Kyiv a Patriot battery in what would be the administration's first major new weapons transfer since taking office in January.
According to Axios, the White House is working on a deal under which Germany would sell a Patriot battery to Ukraine, with the U.S. and European allies sharing the cost.
The proposal comes amid a series of conflicting signals from Washington. On July 2, the Pentagon announced a pause in deliveries of key military aid to Kyiv, including Patriot interceptors and precision-guided munitions.
Trump later denied involvement in the decision and expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for failing to pursue a ceasefire. As of July 10, shipments of at least some weapons to Ukraine have been reportedly resumed.
Kyiv has repeatedly urged Western partners to expand air defense coverage as Russian forces continue to target Ukrainian cities with drones, missiles, and aerial bombs.
Patriot batteries, with their high-precision tracking and interception capabilities, are a cornerstone of Ukraine's layered air defense system.
Washington has so far delivered three Patriot batteries to Ukraine, while Germany has sent three more. A European coalition has contributed an additional battery, though not all systems are currently operational due to maintenance rotations.
If approved, a new transfer would mark Trump's first major military package to Ukraine not initiated by the previous Biden administration.
