Ukraine finds air defence batteries in NATO countries that can be transferred immediately

, 4 April 2024, 16:06

Ukraine will consult its NATO partners about the supply of batteries of air defence systems, which it believes can be delivered immediately.

According to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, during the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, he "clearly pointed out the batteries, which, in our opinion, are available in NATO countries."

"I asked them not to look for excuses as to why they can’t deliver them; instead just deliver them. And now this issue will be worked on," he said.

The minister refused to specify which air defence systems or which countries he was talking about.

"But the efforts made now by the president and his entire diplomatic team will end – I have no doubt – with the supply of new air defence systems in the foreseeable future, including the Patriot [systems – ed.] to Ukraine," he said.

The foreign minister also said that Germany initiated a search for available Patriot air defence systems for Kyiv at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels on 4 April.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna supported Ukraine's proposal to transfer air defence systems that Western countries had in their arsenal but did not use.