US delays Patriot deliveries to Switzerland, prioritizes Ukraine
The U.S. State Department has informed Switzerland of delays in the delivery of Patriot air defense systems due to a decision to prioritize shipments to Ukraine, the Swiss Defense Ministry said on July 17.
The move comes amid a surge in Russian airstrikes across Ukraine. Kyiv has long urged Western partners to provide additional air defense systems to protect civilians from missile and drone attacks.
Switzerland said the five Patriot systems it ordered from the U.S. in 2022 were scheduled for delivery between 2027 and 2028. The latest U.S. decision means those deliveries will be postponed.
"The U.S. wants to strengthen its support to Ukraine... The U.S. has therefore decided to reprioritize the delivery of Patriot ground-based air defense systems," the Swiss Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"It is currently unclear how many systems will be affected and whether the delivery of guided missiles will also be affected."
The shift in priority follows U.S. President Donald Trump's July 14 announcement of a new NATO-coordinated arms initiative under which alliance members and EU countries will purchase U.S.-made weapons systems for Ukraine.
Patriot systems are a key component of Ukraine's layered air defense network, offering high-precision tracking and interception capabilities critical to repelling Russian aerial assaults.
Trump said on July 16 that Patriot air defense missiles for Ukraine were already en route, though Germany's Defense Ministry said it had no knowledge of any such shipment.
Washington has previously delivered three Patriot batteries to Ukraine, while Germany has provided three more. A European coalition has contributed one additional battery, though not all are currently operational due to routine maintenance.
