EU to wait years to replenish Patriots sent to Ukraine – NATO admiral

Providing Kiev with US-made air defense systems which are in short supply is “scary,” a source has told Euractiv

Some EU countries providing US-made Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine may have to wait until 2032 for replacements due to a significant production backlog, a senior NATO official has said. 

Ukrainian officials have for months pleaded for more US-made Patriots and ammunition, portraying the systems as the linchpin of the country’s air defense network. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has said he hopes to receive ten more Patriot systems, with estimates for each battery and interceptor running as high as $1 billion and $4 million, respectively.

Several European countries have shown interest in a deal proposed by US President Donald Trump, under which they would transfer Patriot systems to Ukraine and be resupplied by Washington.

However, French Admiral Pierre Vandier, NATO’s supreme allied commander transformation, told Euractiv that the wait time for Patriot battery deliveries could reach around seven years. While a second Euractiv source offered a more upbeat assessment, he noted the shipments could not be expected sooner than “a couple of years” at best.

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The lengthy backlog has sparked concern and hesitation in the EU ranks, with one unnamed diplomat admitting that giving up the air defense system was “scary” – even for the sake of Ukraine, which he claimed to be “defending” the bloc.

Germany, which has recently committed to transferring three Patriot systems to Kiev, has reportedly demanded “watertight” guarantees that replacements from the US would arrive within eight months.

Meanwhile, the US push to prioritize NATO’s internal backfill has already impacted non-EU buyers. Switzerland, which ordered five Patriot systems in 2022 and expected the complete delivery by 2028, confirmed last month that it would be delayed for an unspecified timeframe due to US reallocation.

Moscow has consistently condemned Western arms shipments to Ukraine, warning they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome. It has also accused European NATO of pursuing “reckless militarization” and portraying Russia as an “enemy” to justify a hike in weapons spending.