Ukraine FM calls out Patriot delays, pleads with allies to ‘finally deliver’

BELFAST and WASHINGTON — Amid a fresh round of Russian attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure, a senior Ukrainian political official is questioning why desperately needed equipment committed by military aid partners, including Patriot surface-to-air weapon systems, are taking so long to arrive.

“Sometimes these gaps are excessively long. You cannot do military planning. You cannot calculate what you [should be able to] count on, on the battlefield,” said Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian minister for foreign affairs, during a doorstep address at a meeting of European Union (EU) foreign ministers, held in Brussels, Belgium, today. “These things, after two years, should work like a Swiss watch, without any delays and in the most efficient ways.”

As just one example, he pointed to delays receiving air defense weapons like the US-produced Patriot typically used to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic missiles, which has also been credited with shooting down Russian Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles during the war in Ukraine. Earlier this year, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a plea for an additional seven Patriot systems; despite promises, Kuleba indicated those systems are still too slow arriving in country.

“In April, when we made a plea for the delivery of more Patriot systems, good progress has been made and announcements were made, but some … were announced and not delivered yet,” said Kuleba. “We are … entering a school year, and we have to protect our cities. We have to protect our children. So, I will urge all partners who have made their pledges to finally deliver these systems.”

Since February 2022, Washington has committed to providing Kyiv more than $55.5 billion in military assistance, according to recent US State Department numbers.

On the air defense front, that figure includes two Patriot air defense batteries, 12 National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, an unspecified number of HAWK systems and more.

Washington first committed to sending a Patriot battery to Kyiv in 2022, before announcing the second one this June. The following month, US President Joe Biden announced a broader deal among NATO members that included the US, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Romania sending five air defense systems to Ukraine.

“In the coming months, the United States and our partners intend to provide Ukraine with dozens of additional tactical air defense systems,” Biden said during a NATO summit. “The United States will make sure that when we export critical air defense interceptors, Ukraine goes to the front of the line. They will get this assistance before anyone else gets it.”

Meanwhile, as Kyiv presses on the Patriot delivery issue, it also continues to push the case for international partners, including the US and the UK, to lift weapons restrictions on Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and Storm Shadow long range cruise missiles, striking Russian territory.

Kuleba suggested that any lift would allow “legitimate military targets” to be attacked, a description which likely includes Russian airfields and strategic bombers that are attacking Ukrainian critical infrastructure.

“What really matters is the timing and this is the issue today, this is why we have an open conversation with the United Kingdom, with the United States, asking them not to waste the momentum that our soldiers and civilians paid for with their blood and sacrifice,” he explained.

But there is no sign that either the Biden administration or the new UK Labour government are ready to budge and change their approaches on the matter.

On Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder addressed the hot button topic again, saying Zelenskyy has clearly made his views and perspective well known publicly and privately.

“We’re going to continue to consult closely with our Ukrainian partners as well as our allies and partners around the world on how best to support Ukraine,” the two-star Air Force general said.

“Our policies haven’t changed,” Ryder added. “You’ve heard us say that the Ukrainians can use US security assistance to defend themselves from cross-border attacks, in other words counterfire. But as it relates to long-range strike, deep strikes into Russia, our policy has not changed.”

In contrast, Josep Borrell, head of European Union foreign affairs, has embraced Kuleba’s position. Calling for the weapons restriction to be lifted “in accordance with international law” he warned that Russia “wants to bomb a European country into full capitulation.”

Outlining the toll of Moscow’s aggression, he claimed that since the start of the Ukraine war, Moscow had expended 14,000 drones, “almost” 10,000 missiles and “many more glide bombs.”

The EU, said Borrell, has started the process of transferring revenues from frozen Russian assets to Ukrainian industry, amounting to €1.4 billon ($1.6 billion), funding that has enabled weapons production to be ramped up.

A further €6 billion ($6.6 billion), due to be transferred to EU member states as a reimbursement for equipment sent to Ukraine, has been held up however because of Hungary using a veto, though Borrell suggested he plans on finding a way of “circumventing” the lone dissenting voice.