Ukraine seeking Patriot missiles from Germany in exchange for future interceptors – Bloomberg

Ukraine has asked Germany to provide dozens of additional Patriot interceptor missiles from its existing stockpiles this year as Kyiv seeks to strengthen its air defenses against intensified Russian attacks.

This is according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter, Ukrinform reports.

“Ukraine has asked Germany to provide dozens of additional Patriot interceptor missiles from its stocks this year as Kyiv seeks to bolster its air defenses against intensifying Russian strikes,” the report said.

The proposed arrangement would allow Ukraine to address its immediate air-defense needs while replenishing Germany’s stocks once new interceptors become available, according to sources who requested anonymity because the discussions are not public.

The German government is currently reviewing Ukraine’s request and has not yet made a decision. One source indicated that an announcement could come shortly before or during the upcoming NATO summit in July.

A spokesperson for Germany’s Defense Ministry declined to comment. A spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said additional time was needed to verify the information before commenting.

According to Bloomberg’s sources, dwindling weapons stockpiles across Europe have complicated efforts to find additional air-defense munitions, and Germany is currently the only European Union member capable of making a significant contribution.

As previously reported, following a difficult winter marked by large-scale Russian missile and drone attacks, Ukraine’s air-defense forces are experiencing shortages of missiles for several systems, including the Patriot air defense system, NASAMS, and IRIS-T.

Photo: Bundeswehr