Editor's note: The previous version said that Romania has one operational Patriot system. It was corrected since the country has recently put into service the second such system.
Romania will transfer a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, the country's Supreme Council of National Defense announced on June 20.
The move came as Kyiv has been calling on its partners to provide additional air defenses as Russia intensifies its strikes against Ukrainian population centers and infrastructure.
The Council members decided to donate the Patriot system to Kyiv in coordination with partners in view of the "deteriorating security situation" in Ukraine due to Moscow's constant attacks, the statement read.
"(As well as) the regional consequences of this situation, including for Romania's security," the Council said.
Russian drone fragments and debris have been found on Romanian territory on numerous occasions after Moscow's attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube River, prompting Romania to install anti-drone systems, bunkers, and other security measures in the area.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said that the transfer of the Patriot system to Ukraine must not compromise Romania's air defense.
Bucharest signed a deal in 2017 to obtain Patriot systems but so far only has two that are operational. The second one was put into service on June 14. Iohannis said any discussions would concern a system that was in an advanced stage of becoming operational.
Ukraine operates at least three Patriot systems provided by the U.S., the Netherlands, and Germany, with Berlin recently pledging to deliver a fourth one. Ukraine needs at least seven such systems, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin on June 11.
The U.S. government is planning to suspend all open orders for Patriot air defense interceptor missiles until Ukraine receives enough to defend itself from Russian attacks, the Financial Times reported on June 20, citing unnamed sources.
Chris York
(Updated: )
