Spain and Greece have refused to provide Ukraine with Patriot missiles
Spain and Greece have refused to transfer missiles for the Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, even though the service life of some of these munitions is nearing its end. Specifically, Ukraine asked Athens to transfer about 200 PAC-2 missiles, but the Greek side declined.
Spain and Greece will not transfer missiles for the U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. According to The Telegraph, both countries refused to transfer the munitions, some of which are already nearing their expiration dates. Ukraine had appealed to Greece to provide approximately 200 PAC-2 missiles. These munitions are used by Patriot systems to intercept aerial targets, including missiles and aircraft.
However, Athens refused to transfer its stockpiles. According to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, some of these missiles have been in service with the Greek Air Force for about 23 years. As a result, their service life may soon come to an end. Despite the age of the munitions, Greece has decided to keep them. Spain has also refused to transfer Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
Why Ukraine Needs Patriot Missiles
Patriot is an American air defense system that helps protect cities, military facilities, and critical infrastructure from air attacks. It is capable of intercepting various types of aerial targets, including ballistic missiles under the right conditions. The system requires special interceptor missiles to operate. Therefore, having the launchers alone without a sufficient supply of ammunition limits the capabilities of the air defense system.
The PAC-2 is one of the types of missiles used in Patriot systems. Ukraine needs such ammunition to repel Russian attacks. At the same time, before transferring old missiles, it is important to assess their technical condition, serviceability, and remaining service life. In the case of Greece, these are stockpiles, some of which have been in service for over two decades. However, The Telegraph’s report does not specify whether these missiles were deemed unsuitable for use, nor whether the parties discussed the possibility of transferring them after further inspection.
Thus, at this time, neither Greece nor Spain has agreed to transfer Patriot missiles to Ukraine. This means that Kyiv will not receive these munitions from either country in response to its requests. This is reported by The Telegraph.
