Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, present at the NATO meeting in Bucharest, again called for advanced air defense systems, mentioning among other things the advanced Patriot system. Shortly after, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was asked about this type of system at a press conference.

“Why can’t NATO send Patriot complexes to Ukraine, as he (and not Minister Kuleb) demands?”– this was the question of a BBC journalist at Stoltenberg’s press conference.

Patriotic systems in Ukraine? Stoltenberg, NATO: “Discussion continues”

• “One of the important reasons why Mr. Kuleba is here is to discuss the urgent needs and various specific needs that Ukraine presents to its allies. This dialogue allowed us to increase aid to allies to an unprecedented level, both in terms of type and quantity of military aid. It’s important to meet and go through a list of specific things,” replied Stoltenberg, who, however, noted that the Patriot discussion exists.

• “It’s also about sending new systems like the Patriot. There is such a discussion. But just as important is how we ensure that all the systems we’ve already sent are working and effective. And for that we need to be able to support with spare parts for maintenance as well as ammunition. This is one of the modern challenges. For example, the NASAMS system that has already been sent to Ukraine, or the IRIS-T system, we have not only sent, but we guarantee that we can also provide them with spare parts and ammunition so that they can operate effectively. So we are discussing a wide range of additional systems, but we are urgently addressing the needs to make the current systems work,” Stoltenberg said.

In a joint press statement with Stoltenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba noted that Ukraine also urgently needs advanced air defense systems.

“Now energy is as important as military aid. Transformers, generators and other equipment are very important. We need air defense – the IRIS-T, Patriot, Yastrub systems, as well as transformers and generators,” said Dmytro Kuleba, among others.

The head of NATO objected to Germany sending Patriot systems to Ukraine

The decision to send or not to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine is up to each individual government, Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday when asked about Poland’s proposal to send Germany’s Patriot units to Kyiv, Reuters reported.

NATO Patriot anti-missile defense system. Photo: EyePress News / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia Images

Berlin offered Warsaw the Patriot system to help protect its airspace after a missile went astray last week that killed two people in Poland, but Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak later asked Germany to send defense units to Ukraine instead.

German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht rejected the request on Thursday. She said the German Patriot units are intended for use on NATO territory, and any use outside of that would require prior discussion with NATO and allies.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, however, spoke of a decision that must be made by each country individually.

“Specific decisions regarding specific systems are national decisions,” the head of NATO told reporters in Brussels.

“Sometimes there are end-user agreements and other things, so they have to consult with other allies. But ultimately it’s (decisions) for governments to make,” he added.

What might happen if NATO sends the Patriot

Asked whether NATO risks becoming a party to the conflict by sending Patriot systems to Ukraine, Stoltenberg said the allies have already supplied Kiev with modern weapons without sending NATO personnel.

“As it was done, when there was a need for specialists to work with these systems, be it air defense systems or other advanced artillery systems, Ukrainians were trained in a NATO country,” he said.