Ukraine should soon receive a new package of Patriot air‑defence missiles from Europe.
According to “Spiegel” reports, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius succeeded in securing roughly 30 of the latest PAC‑3 missiles from several European partners. When coupled with a handful of the globally scarce, high‑tech PAC‑3s already in Bundeswehr stock, about 35 interception missiles are expected to be delivered to Ukraine as quickly as possible.
The German Federal Ministry of Defence confirmed the planned delivery after a “Spiegel” inquiry. The ministry said it had persuaded the European partners to provide additional PAC‑3 missiles, “which are close to the planned target number”. For security reasons, the spokesperson declined to specify the exact size of the new package or its arrival date.
Pistorius had proposed, during a Ukraine‑supporters meeting before the Munich Security Conference, that Germany would allocate five of its Bundeswehr PAC‑3 missiles to Ukraine on the condition that other states collectively supply 30 more. At the time, several nations-including the Netherlands-had already pledged an unbinding donation. Those promises have now been confirmed, allowing the donation package to be dispatched.
Patriot missile stocks are thinner than ever, largely because they have been heavily used to repel Iranian attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East. Experts estimate that the Ukraine requires around 60 Patriot missile launches per month to maintain its air‑defence capability.
