Romanian Defence Minister reluctant to hand over Patriot system to Ukraine – Romanian PM

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has said that Romanian Defence Minister Angel Tîlvăr has serious reservations about the possibility of providing Ukraine with a Patriot air defence system.

According to Romanian 24-hour news channel Digi24, Ciolacu said that he has not yet discussed with President Klaus Iohannis the possibility of providing Ukraine with the Patriot system, but he has had a conversation with Tîlvăr and the latter is not very favourable to this idea.

"The Minister of Defence is very reluctant to give away this system, one of the systems that should be transferred to Ukraine," Ciolacu said.

At the same time, he noted that the decision on the transfer should be made by the Supreme Council of National Defence.

"I am firmly convinced that we will make the wisest decision regarding Romania, and above all, a good one," Călacu concluded.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said from the White House, where he was visiting, that his country might consider transferring one of its Patriot systems to Ukraine. 

Although Romania currently operates only one Patriot battery, Iohannis said that another battery is almost ready for use.

Following requests from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, EU governments last month called for more air defence systems to be provided to Kyiv.

Germany pledged to provide an additional Patriot battery, while Spain said it would supply missiles for these systems. Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said that Ukraine had already received these missiles.