Ukraine may be promised a new Patriot system in early June, but the United States will not deliver it – WP
The partners may promise Ukraine a new Patriot air defense system in early June, but it will not be the United States that will deliver it, The Washington Post reported, citing an unnamed European official.
He and two colleagues told the media that NATO allies have been negotiating for several weeks to find another Patriot for Ukraine, potentially in Europe, but no breakthrough has been made.
"There are discussions like ‘we can give this one up, but then we want a new one for a cheaper price,'" the source said, describing negotiations about partners receiving new complexes from the US in the future in exchange for transferring one to Ukraine now.
According to the source, the issue of air defense will be discussed during the visit of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to NATO headquarters in early June – at that time, a promise to provide Ukraine with a new Patriot may be announced, but not from America.
The interlocutor added that Donald Trump's administration seems to not want to make "loud statements" about supplying weapons to Kyiv, believing that this could "derail negotiations."
"They seem to think now if we have a huge announcement of giving Patriot missiles to Ukraine, that’s not something they want because it will make Putin very angry. They would be very concerned about this kind of jeopardizing any potential peace talks," the European official noted.
- On May 26, an unnamed senior Ukrainian official told WP that Kyiv believed Washington would be willing to sell Kyiv more Patriot systems rather than provide them as aid .
- According to another media source, Germany plans to send Ukraine older versions of Patriot missiles that are less effective at intercepting ballistic missiles .
