Romanian defense minister reluctant to give Ukraine one Patriot air defense system
The Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar has "serious reservations" about the transfer of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said, without clarifying why he maintains such a position, reported Digi24.
Ciolacu noted that he has not discussed the issue of strengthening Ukrainian air defense with President Klaus Iohannis, but did have such a conversation with Tilvar. The Romanian defense minister, according to Ciolacu, is "not much in favor" of transferring the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine.
"The minister of defense is very reluctant to give this system, one of the systems that should be transferred to Ukraine," the prime minister said, adding that the decision should be made by the Supreme Council of National Defense.
Recently, during a visit to the United States, Iohannis said that he is ready to discuss the possible transfer of a missile system to Ukraine.
"I have to discuss this in the Supreme Defense Council to see what we can offer and what we can get in return, because it is unacceptable to leave Romania without air defense," he said at the time.
In early April, after the meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that Berlin "immediately initiates an analysis of all systems, Patriot batteries and other air defense systems available not only in the Allies, but also in the world in general." Later, she reported that the stocks of anti-aircraft systems in Germany were almost exhausted, so the Allies had to look for them in other countries.
On April 6, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine needs 25 Patriot systems — six to eight batteries each — to completely cover the state's skies.
On April 10, EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell said that the bloc is not doing enough to support Ukraine, because European armies possess about 100 Patriot batteries.
On May 6, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on European allies to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses from what is in stock, as there is no time to wait for the production of new air defense equipment for the Ukrainian army.