Romania's Supreme Council to decide on Patriot systems transfer to Ukraine amid Defense Ministry's opposing the idea
Romania's Supreme Council to decide about providing Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems after Defense Ministry expressed concerns about this proposal in its report to President Klaus Iohannis, Digi24 reported, citing its sources, on June 20.
The time "is not appropriate" for this transfer, the Ministry concluded in its report, following discussions with Romanian army generals. The document warns of the risk that Romania might not get the system back if it is destroyed.
Romania’s second Patriot missile system was declared combat-ready last week after intercepting a target simulating a cruise missile during live-fire exercises on the Black Sea coast.
Romania has received two more systems and is awaiting three more from a total of seven Patriot systems contracted for $3.9 billion in 2017.
President Iohannis acknowledged discussing with U.S. President Joe Biden the possibility to transfer a Patriot system to Ukraine in his visit to Washington last month.
"This decision can be made solely by the Supreme National Defense Council as Romania cannot be left without missile defense," he clarified on May 22.
Additional air defense for Ukraine
Western partners are reluctant to provide Ukraine with “five to seven” Patriot systems, despite having over 100, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on April 3.
25 Patriot systems or their equivalents are needed to fully protect Ukraine’s airspace from Russian attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on April 6.
Ukraine is actively negotiating with allies for two Patriot batteries supply and one SAMP-T, Kuleba said on April 12.
Russia would not have destroyed the Trypillya Thermal Power Plant if Ukraine had enough Patriot systems, the Foreign Ministry added.
G7 foreign ministers, meeting in Italy, promised to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses on April 19.
The U.S. is considering providing Ukraine with another Patriot battery to bolster the country’s air defense, Bloomberg reported on May 15.
NATO countries might support sending seven Patriot systems to Ukraine at the upcoming summit in Washington in July, Zelenskyy suggested, the New York Times reported on May 21.
Spain and Greece have so far declined to transfer their systems, though Madrid is sending missiles. Poland has also refused to transfer one of its batteries.
The Dutch Defense Ministry announced plans on May 28 to gather and send a Patriot system to Ukraine as soon as possible.
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