EU Calls on Spain and Greece to Provide Ukraine with Patriot Missiles — Bloomberg
The European Commission is pressuring Spain and Greece to transfer part of their stockpiles of interceptor missiles for Patriot systems to Ukraine. These are countries that still have significant stockpiles of such missiles. The EU is seeking to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense in the face of Russian attacks.
This issue will be discussed on September 1–2 at a meeting of EU defense and foreign ministers in Dublin.
Missile Stockpiles in EU Countries
Currently, Spain and Greece have some of the largest Patriot stockpiles among Ukraine’s allies. Specifically, this refers to the PAC-2 missiles—and part of these countries’ stockpiles will soon reach their expiration date.
At the same time, Greece has repeatedly refused, arguing that it needs the missiles itself to defend Greek airspace due to tense relations with Turkey. Spain stated back in March that it would transfer five PAC-2 interceptors to Ukraine.
One EU diplomat noted that Madrid and Athens’ reluctance to part with the missiles is nothing new, but the issue is becoming increasingly acute as Zelenskyy is now more actively demanding new munitions: the Patriot system has become “the main topic of the summer” for Ukraine.
Aid from Asian Countries
The European External Action Service is also negotiating with Asian countries—South Korea and Japan—regarding the transfer of Patriot interceptors to Ukraine. However, Europeans fear that tensions in both countries’ relations with China will stand in the way.
One diplomat acknowledged that the issue of Ukraine’s missile stockpiles is “very serious,” but Tuesday’s meeting is informal and therefore unlikely to yield tangible results.
Kyiv is currently considering whether to use the next tranche of the EU’s 90-billion loan package to purchase missile defense systems—either the Patriot system itself or its Franco-Italian counterpart, the SAMP/T NG.
Bloomberg, Euronews, and Politico report this, citing their own sources.
Categories of Ukrainians who may be deported from the EU first have been identified.
Recently, Polish authorities decided to deport a Ukrainian citizen who, while intoxicated, bit a police officer. Due to the injuries sustained, the officer was forced to seek treatment at an infectious diseases hospital.
A Ukrainian citizen was deported from Poland following an incident at the Centrum station on the Warsaw Metro. The man threw a backpack onto the tracks and fled, causing the evacuation of several hundred passengers and disruptions to train service.
