With partners’ support and an EU loan, Ukraine is signing contracts to supply around a thousand missiles for Patriot air defence systems.
Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara said this at a meeting in the Ramstein format, Suspilne reports.
However, he said the missiles would arrive only in the coming years.
“That is why we are asking you to provide us with missiles from your stockpiles today in exchange for future upgraded missiles under our contracts,” Khmara stressed.
According to the minister, supplies of air-to-air missiles and MANPADS are important for countering jet-powered drones and Shahed-type drones.
Khmara also said that at this year’s July NATO summit in Turkey, partners promised to allocate €70bn for Ukraine’s defence. €62bn is already in place and a further €8bn is needed, the minister noted, adding that the overall shortfall in Ukraine’s defence budget stands at €23bn.
- On 8 September, it became known that the European Union agreed to an exception for Ukraine and is allocating $3.5bn for air defence .