Skip to content
Edit post

'Systems are there, what is lacking is final go' — Kuleba urges partners not to delay Patriot deliveries

by Martin Fornusek August 29, 2024 2:42 PM 2 min read
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and the EU's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, talk to journalists ahead of EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Aug. 29, 2024. (Ukraine's Foreign Ministry/Telegram)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Aug. 29 urged foreign patners not to delay and provide Ukraine with the promised Patriot air defense systems.

"Good progress has been made, and announcements were made, but again, some Patriot systems were announced and not delivered yet," Kuleba told journalists ahead of an EU ministerial meeting in Brussels.

Ukraine has received at least three Patriot systems from Germany and one from the U.S. Other countries, like the Netherlands and Spain, delivered individual launchers or missiles.

The U.S., Romania, and the Netherlands pledged in June to deliver one additional system each, but no announcement on their arrival has been made so far.

"Some complain (about) bureaucracy... some argue that there are delicate internal moments in their politics," Kuleba said.

"We pay for all these delays with damage and the loss of lives."

The pledged batteries "are there, they are ready for delivery. What is lacking is just the final go, the green light to do it," Kuleba stressed.

The highly advanced Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting the Ukrainian sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals.

The Patriots are not the only Western systems comprising Ukraine's sky shield. Kyiv has also received IRIS-T, NASAMS, Hawk, and SAMP/T systems.

Italy has promised to deliver a second SAMP/T system in addition to the one already provided jointly by Paris and Rome, and Berlin pledged to transfer four more IRIS-T systems of various ranges within 2024.

During the NATO summit in Washington in July, the allies pledged to deliver "dozens" of air defense systems in the coming months.

Faster air defense deliveries are ever more crucial now as Russia launched its largest aerial attack against Ukraine throughout the full-scale war on Aug. 26.

‘The goal should be strategic defeat of Russia’ – Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds
Editor’s note: The transcript of this interview has been edited for clarity. Latvia has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters since the start of the all-out war. Sharing a border with both Russia and its ally Belarus, the small Baltic country understands Ukraine’s struggle all too well. As

News Feed

MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.