Spain will supply Ukraine with batch of Patriot missiles, media says
Spain has agreed to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles amid pressure from NATO and the EU for European countries that have this American-made system to deliver them to Ukraine.
As reported by a Spanish newspaper El Pais, the delivery of a few missiles – each piece costing over a million euros and with a maximum range of 24 kilometres – will take place after the Spanish Defence Ministry refused to send a battery to Ukraine. The battery has been deployed on the border between Türkiye and Syria since 2013.
Currently, the Spanish army has three batteries, each with its missile launchers, radar, and control station, purchased second-hand from Germany in 2004 and 2014. One of these batteries is located in Adana (Türkiye), and the other two are based on the marine infantry (Valencia). One is already being used to train Ukrainian and Spanish military personnel to operate this system.
The Spanish Ministry of Defence refused to deliver a Patriot battery to Ukraine. Their arguments revolve around the claim that these systems are the only effective defence against missile attacks, as demonstrated in the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and that Spain's armed forces are small in number. Ultimately, the department agreed, but only regarding a "very limited quantity" of missiles, as Spain's military reserve consists of about fifty pieces and interceptors are very expensive.
Under Margarita Robles's leadership, the Ministry plans to invest more in upgrading the Patriot system. The department intends to acquire four batteries of the 3+ configuration, "much more advanced than what it currently has," giving it "real potential for missile defence." The US Department of Defense authorised this sale in October for €2.6 billion. The Spanish government has not yet approved either the programme's spending ceiling or the contract's signing.
"Although procedures have been expedited, the forecast is that the new batteries will not arrive before 2028 or 2029. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces must provide Spain's air defence with their current limited means," El Pais summarises.
Earlier, the Financial Times reported that Greece and Spain were under strong pressure from their allies in the EU and NATO regarding providing additional air defence systems to Ukraine.
Asked on Monday whether Madrid is considering the possibility of supplying Patriot to Kyiv, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs avoided giving a direct answer, stating that Spain will "continue to do everything in its power" to help Ukraine in the war against Russia.