Europeans locked in Patriot games as Ukraine pleads for more air defence

EU member states are increasingly under pressure to provide Ukraine with urgently needed advanced air defence systems, but efforts are bogged down by reluctance to move equipment vital for regional defence plans.

The talks between EU foreign and defence ministers with their Ukrainian counterparts (Monday 22 April), came two days after the US House of Representatives approved the long-delayed $60 billion military aid package, a development perceived as a relief on this side of the Atlantic.

“We dodged a historic bullet but, unfortunately, many more bullets are on the way,” Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told reporters in Luxembourg.

“We can be joyous for a day, but we have to be prepared for the battles that come tomorrow,” he added.

His comments were echoed by those EU diplomats concerned the new US aid might now lead to complacency when it comes to the urgency of more European efforts.

Pressure rises on air defence

“We have been asking all member states to do whatever they can in order to increase the air defence capacity of Ukraine,” EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell told reporters.

However, at Monday’s talks, there was no sign of more pledges of urgently needed air defence systems for Ukraine.

“We have been giving a lot of warnings, letters, asking them [EU member states] to see what we can do,” Borrell told reporters heading into the talks.

“We need more ammunition. We need more launchers,” he added.

EU member states that own US-manufactured Patriot air defence systems are increasingly under pressure to step up their supplies to Ukraine.

Ukraine said it had identified more than 100 Patriot air defence systems its allies could spare if they wanted to.

Kyiv has specifically asked for seven more Patriot systems, which are capable of shooting down Russia’s hypersonic missiles that have wreaked havoc, since Moscow in recent weeks, has been intensifying missile strikes on Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure.

“We do not rule out that the infrastructure of our other nuclear power plants and distribution networks are also under threat from Russian terror,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told EU leaders last week.

“We need concrete and bold decisions today to provide Ukraine with additional Patriot and SAMP/T [surface-to-air missile] systems, missiles, artillery and ammunition, and other weapons and equipment as soon as possible,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told European counterparts on Monday.

He added, “Now that you are all here at the table, it’s time to act, not to debate.”

Monday’s talks made especially clear that pressure is growing on those European countries that could provide at least one of them to Kyiv, said EU diplomats.

Six EU member states – Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain – currently operate Patriot systems.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last week confirmed Western alliance members have more air defence systems that can be dispatched to Ukraine and also would make fresh announcements “soon”.

Patriot games

However, many of them argue they cannot spare sending any to Ukraine as they remain part of their national or NATO defence plans.

Speaking ahead of the talks, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock renewed calls to fellow EU member states to supply more Patriot systems to Kyiv after Berlin had announced in mid-April it would supply Ukraine with a third Patriot battery.

“Every additional air defence system saves lives in Ukraine,” she told reporters. “That is why it is so important that we all join forces in precisely this area.”

According to EU diplomats, Poland, who owns two Patriot systems, and Romania face less pressure to provide them to Ukraine as they would be required for those country’s own territorial defence plans.

The other four EU member states, however, faced closer scrutiny in Monday’s talks to consider shipments to Kyiv, people with knowledge of the discussions said.

“There are EU countries that are not in immediate need of their air defence systems, yet jealously guard them while people only a few hundred kilometres away are losing their lives,” a second EU diplomat highlighted.

Greece owns the largest stock of Patriot systems, according to EU diplomats, and also the S-300 systems (anti-aircraft missiles) which are of interest to Kyiv, as it is a system that Ukrainian armed forces are more familiar with.

In 2022, Greece offered its ageing S-300 surface-to-air missile system to arm Ukraine in exchange for the Patriot system, which Athens deems vital for regional security vis a vis fellow NATO member Turkey.

The two Mediterranean neighbours have long-standing sea and air boundary disputes which in the past led to tensions around Greek islands near Turkey’s coastline.

“We have already provided tangible assistance to Ukraine and its people,” Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis told reporters on Monday.

“However, it must be emphasized that no action will be taken – and I stress this – that could even remotely endanger our nation’s deterrent capabilities or air defence,” Marinakis added.

Spain owns four Patriot systems, of which three are used for the defence of NATO’s Southern Flank and one is currently stationed on the Turkish border to Syria, which could potentially be moved.

Asked by reporters about such a possibility, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares hinted Madrid could step up on air defence for Ukraine, but avoided a direct answer.

“We’re very aware of the need for air defence systems and particularly of Patriot systems,” said Albares. “I insist: Spain has always done everything it could [for Ukraine],” he added.

Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot said The Hague was looking into “every kind of possibility,” but warned that depleting current Dutch defence equipment stocks would be “difficult.”

[Edited by Rajnish Singh]

Read more with Euractiv