EU, NATO pressure Greece and Spain for more air defense systems for Ukraine — FT

The Financial Times reported the information, citing its own sources.

During the summit in Brussels last week, EU leaders personally called on the Prime Ministers of Spain and Greece, Pedro Sánchez and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to supply part of their air defense systems to Ukraine.

According to the leaders of both countries, their armed forces have over a dozen Patriot systems, as well as other systems such as the S-300, but they do not need as many as Ukraine.

One source indicated that it is clear who is possessing the systems, their whereabouts, and the parties in genuine need of them.

Simultaneously, officials noted that Poland and Romania, possessing Patriots as well, faced comparatively lesser pressure due to their proximity to the Ukrainian border, which rendered them more vulnerable.

Sources suggested that the urgency to supply the systems was likely to escalate during the Monday meeting in Luxembourg, where foreign and defense ministers from all 27 EU member states would convene.

One European diplomat involved in preparations for the meeting mentioned that certain countries may not be immediately required to procure air defense systems. Each nation is encouraged to assess what it can afford to forgo.

• On April 21, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again emphasized the need for additional air defense systems, citing recent Russian attack on Ukrainian territory.