FM Kuleba on Patriot air defense for Ukraine: US army probably has one spare

He said this in an interview with The Guardian.

“I think the US army probably has one spare,” he said.

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, the state has identified 7 Patriot air defense systems that can be used to protect civilians outside Kyiv in large cities.

At the same time, the publication notes that Spain, and Greece are currently considering the possibility of providing Ukraine with Patriot systems, and that Poland and Romania also have the systems. The Ukrainian diplomat suggested that Ukraine could receive the eighth system from the United States.

Kuleba said Ukraine’s allies should switch from “expressing condolences and sympathy to Ukrainians and promising to help with recovery, to preventing loss of life and destruction of the country”.

Kuleba added that negotiations with the allies on the Patriot were difficult because the states were bargaining for compensation.

“I’m in no doubt, given the progress we are making, that Patriots will arrive and Germany must be commended for making the first move,” he said.

• On April 19, the Group of Seven countries announced their intention to strengthen Ukraine's air defense following a meeting in Cyprus. At the same time, the North Atlantic Alliance pledged to provide Ukraine with more air defense systems.
• On April 18, it became known that Ukraine could receive six more Patriot air defense systems from its North Atlantic Alliance partners and one more from Germany.
• On April 21, the German government announced that it is already negotiating with other countries on new air defense commitments for Ukraine.
• On Sunday, April 21, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, during a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, announced that Norway would join the IAAD initiative to provide air defense systems to Ukraine.
• On April 23, it was reported that the Scholz government is pressuring the United States to supply Ukraine with at least one more Patriot missile defense system to help close the air defense gap.