If EU member states do not have air defense systems for Ukraine, they will have to buy them - Borrell
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EU member states should buy air defense batteries if they cannot provide them to Ukraine from their own stocks, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said in an interview with French outlet Le Monde on April 16.
“We need to restore the balance of power,” Borrell said.
“That’s why I convened Foreign Affairs and Defense Council on April 22 to see how we can meet Ukraine’s needs for ammunition and, perhaps more urgently, for air defense. I am knocking on the doors of member states to tell them that if they do not have anti-aircraft batteries, they will have to buy them.”
Read also: Ukraine's Air Defense stands strong despite missile shortage reports, says Air Force spokesman
The EU High Representative also said that it is cheaper for Western countries to buy American Patriot systems than to restore power plants destroyed by Russian missile strikes.
He added that things are moving slowly and there is a huge difference in the contributions of member states.
“It may be too late in a year,” he concluded.
“Before talking about rebuilding Ukraine, we need to prevent its destruction. It’s cheaper to buy Patriot systems than to rebuild a power plant targeted by Russians.”
Patriot anti air systems for Ukraine
The first Patriot air defense system was put on combat duty in Ukraine in April 2023.
Patriot systems from the United States, the Netherlands, and Germany arrived in Ukraine on April 19.
Read also: Kuleba proposes using Polish Patriot missiles to defend Ukraine’s border
In December, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that this winter, Ukraine’s air defense would be strengthened by several new Patriot systems.
Germany announced that it had handed over a new military aid package to Ukraine, which included a second Patriot system on Dec. 14.
Forbes reported that Russian troops may have destroyed two launchers of American Patriot air defense system in Ukraine for the first time on March 9. According to journalist Yuriy Butusov, nine Ukrainian soldiers were killed as a result of this attack.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that partners do not want to give Ukraine “five to seven” Patriots to down ballistic missiles, although they have more than 100 on April 3.
Zelenskyy said that 25 Patriot systems or their equivalents are needed to fully protect Ukraine’s airspace from Russian attacks on April 6.
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