Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Patriot systems from Poland could potentially safeguard the western Ukrainian border region from Russian aerial assaults.
Kuleba appeared in an interview on national television Sunday, April 14 to discuss Ukraine’s dire air defense situation in wake of a series of Russian aerial attacks throughout the country.
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He opened the discussion by thanking all the partners who have come to help in Ukraine’s defense, yet he acknowledged the difficulties of obtaining more Patriot missiles from European nations, which “would depend on approval from the US.”
When pressed about the reality of Patriots based in NATO countries protecting facilities on the Ukrainian side of the border, he hesitated, then said: “Everything is real, but various solutions are being considered. In fact, this would protect NATO countries from Russian missiles or drones on their own territory.”
He added that discussions with partners regarding various options for bolstering air defense capabilities are ongoing.
“When we sit behind closed doors, I tell all the partners: Dear friends, anything. If you want us to rent it, we will rent it. If you want [the Patriot] to cover your border, let it cover your border, but give it to us as well,” he said.
The Foreign Minister also disclosed active negotiations with allies to secure at least two more Patriot batteries and one SAMP/T.
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On March 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky clarified that Ukraine had acquired American Patriot systems not directly from the United States but from partner countries.
He emphasized that the funds allocated for the Patriot systems were never directly transferred to Ukraine. Instead, the European Union countries facilitated the transfer of these air defense systems.
Additionally, on March 30, the President highlighted that Ukraine had submitted requests for air defense systems to all countries possessing them.
Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba expressed his commitment to acquiring seven Patriot air defense batteries as soon as possible.
On April 4, in an interview with Reuters, Kuleba noted that despite having more than 100 available Patriots, partners were reluctant to transfer “five to seven” of them to Ukraine.
“Partners did provide us with their different (air defense) systems, we appreciate that, but it’s just simply insufficient, given the scale of the war,” Kuleba said.
Some neighboring countries utilize multiple batteries to protect their borders or airfields simultaneously.
“Ukraine remains the only country in the world facing ballistic strikes. There is currently no other place for Patriots to be. I am confident that if those on whom their provision to Ukraine depends [had] spent at least one night in Kharkiv all necessary decisions would have been made quickly. And I would be ready to go together with them,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter on April 11, following another Russia's missile strike.
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