Netherlands struggling to complete Patriot system pledged to Ukraine, defense minister says
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The Netherlands is still looking for partner countries to provide components for a Patriot air defense system pledged to Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said in an interview with the Delfi media outlet published on Sept. 23.
In June, the Netherlands announced that it would provide radar and launch components, and that it had found another unnamed country to provide the additional necessary parts to make up a complete system.
But earlier this month it was reported the unnamed country had backed out of the agreement.
In the interview with Delfi, Brekelmans said the Netherlands was "trying to find other elements that are necessary to complete the system."
"And there are several countries that are also very eager to help Ukraine," he said, adding: "They are doing everything they can. But they have encountered some problems that make it impossible to assemble this system."
Brekelmans confirmed that the Netherlands provided Kyiv with a radar system and that three launchers would be delivered "very soon."
Kyiv has been calling on its partners to provide additional air defense assets as Russia intensifies its strikes against cities and energy infrastructure.
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. and the Netherlands also pledged in June to deliver one additional system each. Romania will transfer a Patriot to Ukraine too after the donation was finally approved in early September.
