According to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine is currently negotiating with foreign partners on acquiring two more Patriot batteries and one SAMP/T battery. He said this in an interview with host Alla Mazur, an excerpt of which was shown in a telethon on the evening of April 12, reports European Pravda.
The foreign minister, referring to the talks on strengthening Ukrainian air defense, said that the decision to supply Patriot batteries depended on the United States “because it is an American system”.
“We know exactly where what is located. There are already active negotiations underway on two Patriot batteries and one SAMP/T battery. And, in principle, if the countries where they are located were ready to hand them over to us, it would be a matter of a week, and we would receive them,” he said.
The SAMP/T-MAMBA is Europe’s first long-range anti-missile system capable of destroying enemy aircraft at a range of 3 to 100 kilometers and ballistic missiles at a range of 3 to 25 kilometers, with a kill altitude of up to 25 kilometers. Ukraine received one SAMP/T battery in 2023.
Earlier today, Kuleba announced on social media that he discussed the ongoing search for air defense systems for Ukraine with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani.
I spoke with @Antonio_Tajani and thanked Italy for its consistent support for Ukraine. We discussed concrete steps how Italy, as the G7's presiding country, can take an active role in finding air defense systems and making coordinated decisions about their delivery to Ukraine.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) April 12, 2024
In addition, Kuleba earlier this week urged the French foreign minister to act immediately to supply air defense systems to Ukraine and said Ukraine would not have lost the Tripillya thermal power plant with enough Patriot batteries.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister last week declared that Ukraine’s allies are not doing enough in providing Ukraine with enough air defense to protect against Russian missile attacks.
As noted by the Atlantic Council, Kuleba says his team has identified more the one hundred available Patriot systems that could potentially be handed over to Ukraine. Officials in Kyiv say they need 26 systems in order to provide comprehensive cover for the entire country.
The immediate objective is to acquire seven Patriot systems to guard key targets against Russian airstrikes. EU partners including Germany have vowed to assist in the search for Patriot systems, but there have yet to be any breakthroughs.
Read more:
- Baerbock calls for more Patriots for Ukraine amid fears of Russian bombardment of Kharkiv to the ground
- Ukraine downs Russian missile, 17 drones overnight
- Ukraine leaves NATO birthday party with promises of air defense, but not membership
- Zelenskyy: Ukraine needs more Patriot systems to protect Kharkiv, other cities
- Ukraine destroys all drones Russia launched overnight
- Germany and France team up to support Ukraine’s air defense
- Zelenskyy announces arrival of two advanced air defense systems in Ukraine
