Germany boosts Patriot Missile stock, urges support for Ukraine
Germany prioritizes the improvement of its inventory of Patriot missile systems and urges its allies to provide additional support to Ukraine in the face of relentless Russian aggression
In addition to considering increasing its own inventory of U.S.-made Patriot missile systems, Germany has announced that discussions are underway with several countries on new commitments to provide air defense support to Ukraine.
Recently, the German foreign and defense ministers announced the Urgent Action for Air Defense (IAAD) initiative, calling on allies to provide and finance additional air defense systems for Kyiv in the face of Russia's relentless attacks on Ukraine's vital infrastructure.
Following the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, Germany reported early allied interest in the IAAD initiative. During the meeting, allied defense ministers discussed increasing aid to Kyiv, which coincided with legislators in Washington approving a new $61 billion U.S. aid package.
The German Defense Ministry highlighted ongoing discussions with Denmark and the Netherlands on financial support for IAAD and noted that several other partners are also exploring potential contributions.
Despite facing criticism for refusing to supply Kyiv with Taurus cruise missiles, Germany is prioritizing strengthening its air defense capabilities. In particular, Germany in March approved a 1.3 billion ($1.39 billion) euro order for four new Patriot surface-to-air missile systems and has made additional commitments, including a third Patriot system and potential further procurements from Raytheon.
Ukraine's need to increase defense capacity
The recent Russian bombardments underscore Ukraine's urgent need for enhanced defense capabilities, despite significant contributions to munitions programs. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized the need for at least seven Patriot or similar advanced systems to effectively counter Russian aggression.
In addition to Patriot systems, the German initiative also includes domestically produced alternatives such as SAMP/T, NASAMS, HAWK, IRIS-T or S-300 air defense systems.
In a letter to their allies, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized that Russia is targeting vital Ukrainian cities such as Odessa and Kharkiv and underlined the need for international support to bolster Ukraine's defenses against Russian aggression.
Source: Newsroom
