Ukraine has stopped publicly asking for state-of-the-art American weapons, such as Patriot air defense systems, F-16 fighter jets and Gray Eagle drones. But behind the scenes, Ukraine is still pushing to get weapons that could turn the war in its favor, and Kyiv is becoming more demanding in its demands, Politico reports. com.

According to Ukrainian government advisers, Pentagon officials and defense industry executives, the two sides are discussing whether to send all three military units as long-term funding agreements close.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not been shy about asking Western governments for the weapons his country needs to fight off Russian invaders, and has asked for more artillery, missile launchers and precision weapons, which the US and Western allies provided in large numbers last summer. .

But there has been a shift in recent weeks, from strong public calls for fighter jets and civilian systems to quieter talks. The tone softened after talks between Zelenskyi’s advisers in Kyiv and key interlocutors in Washington, as well as friendly advice from the Biden administration itself, which prompted Kyiv to focus more on what it needs now to push Russian forces away from their positions in the east and south . Ukraine.

The shift from a public campaign to a private one came as advisers grew concerned that the demand for state-of-the-art weaponry was diverting attention from Kyiv’s more pressing needs on the battlefield.

In the months since Russia’s full-scale invasion in late February, Ukrainian leaders have demanded Patriot systems and other high-end weapons, putting them at the top of wish lists sent to Washington and circulated in the media.

But in the latest arms requests, these weapons were omitted, focusing on badly needed weapons, so the Ukrainians asked for more artillery shells and rockets for the HIMARS missile launchers.

However, talk of getting Patriot systems, F-16s and Gray Eagle drones at some point remains low-key, according to three industry sources and people connected to the government in Kyiv.

Patriot systems are few and far between, and all NATO allies want them

The concern is not only that high-tech systems will further provoke Moscow, but also that the complex maintenance of these systems will drag Ukraine into the midst of war. In the case of the Patriot systems, their rarity makes it difficult to provide them to Ukraine.

US Patriot units are among the most deployed systems that allies in Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific require for their protection.

There is also the question of priority: NATO allies also want these systems. As more Eastern European countries decommission their old Russian or even Soviet aircraft, they hope the US will start selling or financing F-16s for its own defense.

The delivery of 14 F-16s to Slovakia has already been delayed by a year – until 2024 – due to supply chain problems, and Taiwan remains at the top of the list of priorities for the aircraft and their spare parts.

When can F-16 arrive in Ukraine? NASAMS, instead of Patriot

Some of those more sophisticated systems, including the F-16s that the US Air Force plans to retire, “may come after this conflict is over,” said a US congressional official with knowledge of the discussions.

Regarding the request for Patriot missile batteries, the US agreed to finance the sale of the National Advanced Anti-Aircraft Missile System (NASAMS) to Ukraine. Officials warn that Ukraine’s ability to train and use both systems simultaneously will be limited.

“NASAMS and Patriot are different systems, and you’re training the same air defense personnel, so there are limitations,” said the employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity. – I think we will get there.

The Pentagon recently awarded a $182 million contract to Raytheon Technologies, using funds from the Ukraine Security Promotion Initiative, for NASAMS. The Pentagon said on Friday that the first two systems will be delivered within the next two months.

Ukraine’s blitzkrieg counteroffensive to retake Kharkiv and push Russian troops out of thousands of square kilometers of Ukrainian territory benefited Ukraine – quick decision-making on the ground and effective use of artillery and precision munitions, guided in part by timely US intelligence services – and exposed Russia’s weaknesses in leadership and logistics, which were evident during the Kremlin’s attack on Kyiv in February.

The Americans do not give up the idea of ​​sending Patriot systems to Ukraine

As the artillery battle continues in the east and south, Russian ballistic missiles continue to target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, underscoring the need for more advanced air defense systems than the few Russian-made S-300s Ukraine currently possesses.

To ultimately achieve that, U.S. officials continue to discuss whether to send Patriot systems to Ukraine as part of a long-term strategy, according to Politico’s sources.

Discussions about sending the system to the Defense Department are in the early stages, and the final decision will be made by President Joe Biden. But the fact that officials are talking about such a move is a major change from this spring, when U.S. officials rejected the idea.

If the plan goes ahead, the U.S. could sign a contract with Raytheon to build additional systems for Kyiv instead of transferring relatively scarce Patriot batteries to the U.S. inventory.

The Patriot system will be a significant boost to Ukraine’s capabilities.

Patriot is a complex multi-purpose system designed to shoot down stealth aircraft, ballistic missiles or cruise missiles. In addition to the USA, the system works in 17 countries, in particular in Romania and Poland.

It’s a defensive weapon that will make Russian pilots “think twice” before attacking Ukrainian forces, said Tom Karako of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“For it to be used in anger, you have to have a Russian missile or a Russian aircraft that has escalated come into range,” Karako said.

Compared to Ukraine’s existing air and missile defenses, the Patriot is a much newer, longer-range system that will give Kyiv a critical new capability to counter Russian attacks, Karako said. In April, Slovakia sent the old Soviet S-300 anti-missile defense system to Ukraine. NASAMS, sent by the US, can shoot down short- and medium-range missiles.

If the US decides to go the procurement route, the Ukrainians will not have to wait years for the delivery of the Patriot.

Discussions about the delivery of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone have also been ongoing for months.

The drones do not appear to be approaching Ukraine, but two Ukrainian government advisers told POLITICO that talks are ongoing.