US to postpone delivery of Patriot systems to customers from other countries for Ukraine's sake

On Thursday 20 June, the US government said that all open orders for Patriot air defence systems and interceptor missiles will be halted until Ukraine has enough of these defences to protect itself against Russian air attacks.

According to the Financial Times sources, the United States will announce its decision on Thursday. The decision comes after President Joe Biden’s last week announcement in Italy that he had obtained promises to send new air defence systems to Ukraine, including Patriot batteries.

Updated at 17:05: The article was amended when the author of the original source article clarified that this decision is only applicable to Patriot systems’ interceptor missiles.

Biden stated that five countries have committed to sending Patriot and other air defence systems to Ukraine, and that other countries seeking US systems would have to wait since "everything we have is going to go to Ukraine until their needs are met".

Speaking beside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the two signed a 10-year defence agreement on the margins of the G7 summit in Puglia, Biden stated that Kyiv would receive new equipment "relatively soon".

According to two persons familiar with the decision, the US declaration on Thursday will codify Biden's commitment to Kyiv and ensure that Ukraine receives the Patriot systems needed to protect its towns and essential infrastructure.

Poland, Romania, and Germany are among the European countries that have open orders for Patriot systems. Spain holds an open order for Patriot launchers, and in January, a coalition of NATO states ordered 1,000 Patriot missiles.

The United States will be unable to equip Switzerland with missiles for Patriot air defence systems within the projected time frame due to their prioritisation of fresh deliveries to Ukraine.