EU accelerates review of Ukraine’s request for Patriot missiles – European Commission
The European Union has promised not to delay consideration of Ukraine’s request for interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems, although the final decision on the matter does not rest with the European Commission.
European Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari said this at a press briefing, Censor.NET reports.
European Commission’s position
"Given the urgency, we are, of course, moving this issue forward as quickly as possible. However, given the need to obtain a derogation (because the missiles will be manufactured outside the EU and Ukraine — Ed.), the final decision rests with the member states, and we naturally hope it will be granted soon," Ujvari said.
The European Commission spokesperson added that Ukraine had provided the European Union with delivery schedules for Patriot interceptor missiles, but that the information was confidential.
Air defence discussed at closed meeting
Another European Commission spokesperson, Christian Wigand, said that EU member states had discussed air defence for Ukraine at a closed meeting the previous day, 2 September. According to him, the countries will provide additional assets to protect Ukraine’s skies, which the country urgently needs to save lives.
During the meeting, member states said they would announce the assistance themselves "when they deem it appropriate."
"The most important thing is that we have made further progress in providing air defence support," Wigand added.
Background
- The European Commission previously received from Ukraine a list of weapons on which it plans to spend most of the EUR 6 billion remaining in the defence component of the loan. Most items concern equipment manufactured in Ukraine and the EU, primarily drones.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine had agreed with the United States on monthly deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles. At the same time, he reported a shortage of the missiles: according to him, Ukraine needs to receive at least about 5% of US production to get through the winter.
