Ukraine's Foreign Minister urges allies to finally deliver promised additional Patriot systems

Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, noted that delivery of some of the promised Patriot systems is being delayed and urged partners to accelerate the process.

The minister noted during a conversation with the media ahead of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels that since April, when Ukraine requested additional Patriot systems, "good progress has been made," but some systems have still not been delivered.

"I urge all the countries that promised Patriot systems months ago to finally deliver them. They are available, they are ready; all that's missing is the final 'green light.' Whatever the reasons may be, it is time to act. We are entering autumn, and on Monday [26 August], we saw how Russia will behave," Kuleba emphasised.

He said he also plans to raise Ukraine's concerns at the meeting about the significant amount of time that can pass between the promise of military aid and its actual delivery, making it impossible to plan actions on the battlefield effectively. 

Kuleba noted that he would also call on partners to invest in the production of the weapons Ukraine needs within Ukraine itself, as it is a cheaper and more resource-efficient approach.

The Patriot missile systems were announced, among other things, in the US aid package in July. 

At the end of July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the arrival of Patriot systems from Germany.