Ambassador: Ukraine to receive IRIS-T air defense from Germany in May

Ukraine will receive another IRIS-T air defense system from Germany in May, according to German Ambassador Martin Jäger. He said that such systems will be supplied over the next two years.

"We promised Ukraine that this year, next year, and in 2026, we will supply more such systems. We are consistently working on expanding air defense," he said in an interview during the national TV marathon on 13 May.

Berlin has recently provided Gepard artillery systems and the new Skynex system.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in April that Ukraine "works" with Germany on an additional IRIS-T and missiles for the air defense systems.

Germany announced on 13 April the urgent transfer of a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. This is already the third Patriot air defense system from Germany. According to the New York Times, the new Patriot system is not expected to arrive in Ukraine until late June, and its delivery may coincide with the delivery of another major weapons system that Ukraine has long requested: F-16 fighter jets.

Zelenskyy said on 19 April that for the defense of Ukraine, at least seven more Patriot or similar air defense systems are needed. Zelenskyy said before that 25 Patriot systems are needed to fully cover Ukraine, with 6-8 batteries each.

The German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced earlier in May that Germany will purchase HIMARS systems from the US for Ukraine

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