US President Joe Biden officially announced that the United States will send an additional $1.8 billion aid package to Ukraine, which will include the Patriot missile system, CNN reports.

“It will take some time to complete the necessary training” to operate the system, but the Patriot missiles will be a “crucial element” for Ukraine’s air defense, Joe Biden said Wednesday night at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. .

The United States is committed to allowing Ukrainians to defend their country from Russian aggression “as long as it takes,” Biden also said, according to News.ro.

The President thanked members of Congress for their bipartisan support for Ukraine to date, including the latest $45 billion supplemental package.

“This is a very important step to create a safe airspace for Ukraine, and only in this way will we be able to deprive the terrorist country of the opportunity to strike our energy sector, our population and our infrastructure,” Volodymyr said in turn. Zelensky during a joint press conference with Joe Biden at the White House.

Zelensky also said the main topic of Wednesday’s talks was “strengthening Ukraine” and would bring “good news home” thanks to the US aid package for Ukraine.

“The strongest element of this package is the Patriot system,” Zelenskyy said.

“Russia must answer for what it has done against us, our people, Europe and the free world,” Zelensky said.

To what extent can the Patriot system affect the fate of the war?

Patriot missile systems are among the most sought-after allies in contested areas of the world as a preferred anti-missile shield.

In Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific, they defend against potential attacks from Iran, Somalia and North Korea. But experts say the effectiveness of the system is limited and it may not change the situation in the war in Ukraine, reports Al Jazeera.

The Patriot is a surface-to-air guided missile system that was first deployed in the 1980s and can engage aircraft, cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles. Each battery has a fire section (four launchers mounted/fixed each on a truck, radar, fire control unit, generators and other equipment).

Against cruise missiles and drones, Ian Williams notes, the Patriot’s value is limited because their radar has a 120-degree coverage angle, while NASAMS monitors the horizon 360 degrees, AFP reported.

A Patriot battery can require up to 90 soldiers to operate and maintain, and for several months the US has been reluctant to supply Ukraine with the complex system.

There were also concerns that the deployment of the system could provoke Russia, or that there was a risk that a launched missile could strike inside Russia, potentially escalating the conflict further.

The Patriot air defense system, which the United States is expected to provide to Ukraine, will send a strong signal of support to Kiev and should strengthen the country’s air defenses at a time when Russia is bombing its infrastructure, but the equipment is not a panacea, AFP wrote.

A former senior military official familiar with the Patriot system said it would be effective against short-range ballistic missiles and sent a strong signal of US support, but the battery would not change the course of the war.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal with Ukraine has not yet been made public, said the Patriot battery has a long range but can only cover a limited area. For example, “Patriot” can effectively protect a small military base, but cannot fully protect a large city like Kyiv. They can cover only part of the city.

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