NATO will buy $5.5 bln worth of Patriot missiles amid new Russian attacks on Ukraine

The NATO statement says this.

NATO's Support and Procurement Agency has endorsed this initiative of member states, allocating funds for a contract worth about USD 5.5 billion.

“Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, cities and towns show how important modern air defenses are. Scaling-up ammunition production is key for Ukraine’s security and for ours,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The Associated Press writes that the contract will allow the allies to give Ukraine more of their own defense systems. The Support and Procurement Agency also told the AP that other countries will benefit from the terms of the contract, but did not provide further details.

NATO claims that the contract was signed with COMLOG, a joint venture between the American company Raytheon and the German company MBDA. The large order will support the creation of a Patriot missile production plant in Germany.

• On January 3, it became known that the NATO-Ukraine Council would convene an emergency meeting in response to Russia's massive missile and drone strikes.