The European Union is considering a new request from Ukraine to fund the purchase of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems. The sum involved runs into several billion euros.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this during a joint press approach in Brussels with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Ukrinform reports.
“Today I can confirm that we have received a new payment request. It amounts to several billion euros and will cover the costs of Ukraine’s air defence, including the highly advanced PAC-3 Patriot air defence systems,” von der Leyen said, adding that the process is “moving in the right direction”.
Separately, von der Leyen reported on Ukraine and Europe’s work on the FREYA project, which envisages creating an indigenous missile defence capability.
“At the same time, we in Europe are working on the FREYA project with Ukraine. This is a European project to build our own missile defence,” she noted.
Von der Leyen said the project complements financial support for Ukraine, including a €90bn loan.
“Since June, we have provided €8.5bn for drones and missiles for Ukraine. And this money will also be directed towards purchasing fighter jets from European industry,” the Commission President said.
- Ukraine is short of interceptor missiles for the MIM-104 Patriot systems. This is the only system in Ukraine capable of effectively shooting down Iskander-M, Kinzhal and Zircon missiles flying on ballistic and quasi-ballistic trajectories. As a result, there is a trend towards declining effectiveness in countering these types of missiles.
- The Associated Press, citing data provided by a US Pentagon official and a NATO representative, says that Europe is facing an acute shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems. The outlet notes that Kyiv has received about 600 interceptors over more than four years of the full-scale invasion, while in the Persian Gulf the United States used 1,500 missiles in a matter of months.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that over three years, supplies of Patriot missiles to Ukraine have fallen by more than half.