MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. Kiev is signing contracts to purchase about 1,000 Patriot missiles using an EU loan, but deliveries will only begin in the coming years, Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevgeny Khmara said at a meeting of the Ramstein Contact Group.
"With assistance from our partners and through the EU’s loan, we are signing contracts for about 1,000 Patriot missiles," the RBC Ukraine news agency quoted him as saying.
According to the Ukrinform media outlet, Khmara specified that missile deliveries would largely begin in the coming years. Kiev is therefore asking its partners to provide missiles from their stocks now. "We urge you to hand over missiles from your stocks in exchange for future improved missiles that will be provided under our contracts," he said.
According to the Ukrainian defense minister, Kiev needs to receive 300 Patriot missiles from its partners, 500 air-to-air missiles, man-portable air defense systems and $2 billion in funding for drones. Khmara added that Ukraine was facing a $27 billion shortfall in its defense budget, calling on partners to make "the necessary financial decisions."
On September 8, European Union countries endorsed a derogation allowing Ukraine to purchase interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system using funds from the EU’s 90-billion-euro loan. Earlier, Kiev filed an official request with the European Commission to authorize the purchase of US-made missiles as the program prioritizes weapons purchases from European defense companies.
