The German government insists that the US supply Ukraine with at least one Patriot missile defense system to help fill the gap in its air defense capabilities.
This was reported by Bloomberg.
Berlin’s pressure campaign on its transatlantic ally is part of coordinated efforts aimed at compelling NATO and EU partners to increase assistance to Ukraine in the field of air defense, according to sources cited by the publication.
This week, Germany will also continue to push its European allies, including France and Italy, to assess what they can contribute. Germany’s push is somewhat of a turnaround for Scholz, whose government has often been criticized for dragging its feet on arms supplies after Russia’s invasion.
The German leader, as before, opposes sending long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv, arguing that such deliveries risk making the country a participant in the war. However, Scholz has led efforts to send more Patriot and other air defense systems to Ukraine, as the country faces increasingly frequent attacks targeting its energy infrastructure and urban centers, the publication writes.
Meanwhile, Greece has stated that it could transfer Patriot PAC-3 air defense systems to Ukraine, but there are several conditions. Specifically, the country offers assistance in exchange for American “guarantees” against the Turkish threat and a package of financial compensations.
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