Netherlands plans to supply Ukraine with three Patriot systems "very soon"

The Netherlands has already supplied Ukraine with a radar system for the Patriot air defence system and will soon supply three launchers.

"I can only talk about what we have delivered. We have delivered a radar system and will deliver three launchers very soon. We are also trying to find other elements that are needed to complete the system," Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said in an interview with Delfi.  

It is worth noting that this is the so-called Patriot puzzle, which was initiated by Brekelmans' predecessor, Kajsa Ollongren. According to the plan, the Netherlands and other countries will provide various components of the Patriot system so that Ukraine can get a complete system.

Brekelmans said that there are several countries that are also keen to help Ukraine with air defence and are doing their best.

"But they have encountered some problems that make it impossible to assemble this system. And it depends on other countries whether they want to be open about this.

The reason why we are not always transparent is that we do not want to inform Russia. And if I tell you all the operational details, we will make Russia wiser than it already is. And I don't think we should inform Russia," he added.

In late summer, the then Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, noted that some of the Patriot systems promised to Ukraine had been delayed and called on partners to speed up the process. 

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the military believed that a total of 25 Patriot air defence systems were needed to fully cover Ukrainian skies.  

On 11 July, the US announced a military aid package that included one Patriot air defence system.

On 21 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the Patriot air defence system from Germany had arrived in Ukraine.