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BRUSSELS, April 19 () –
The Foreign and Defense Ministers of the Member States of the European Union meet on Monday in a meeting marked by Ukraine's request for its allies to redouble the shipment of anti-aircraft systems, including the Patriot batteries that Spain has, to shield itself from Russian attacks after the coordination of the United States with France and the United Kingdom repelled the attack with 300 Iranian drones and missiles last week.
The meeting in Luxembourg comes at the height of the debate to reinforce Ukraine against attacks against its cities and critical infrastructure, after Germany leads an initiative to send another Patriot battery, the third in its arsenal, and the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, asked that more allies within the framework of NATO mobilize six more systems of this type requested by kyiv.
The Atlantic organization itself has added to the pressure of recent days in the EU, whose secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has confirmed that there are anti-aircraft systems available among the allies and that he expects more announcements soon in this regard. Among the European allies, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany, Greece and Spain have Patriot systems, seen as the most modern and effective anti-aircraft defenses.
“They basically ask for six Patriots and we know where they are in Europe,” said Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas during the European summit, indicating that currently European partners “do not need it as much as Ukraine needs it.” While the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, acknowledged that shipping the Patriot batteries “would be the best,” but explained that “there are alternatives.”
Germany, which has taken the lead on this issue, defends that it seeks to “incentivize” other partners that are not facing a direct threat to offer their systems, both in the EU and in NATO. In any case, European sources do not expect the decision to be immediate, as it is an expensive defense system, each valued at almost 1,000 million, which is strategic for the security of the countries and is available in small quantities.
In any case, these efforts have been joined by the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, who has also called for these systems to be provided to Ukraine and is addressing the issue with the countries that have these defenses, explained a senior EU official.
Although the focus is on American-made batteries, considered the most modern and effective air defense system, NATO emphasizes that there are other systems that allies can offer such as the SAMP/T, which France and Italy have; or the NASAMS, made in Norway.
In addition, during the meeting the Foreign and Defense ministers of the 27 will be able to review the Czech initiative, which seeks to mobilize funds for the acquisition of artillery ammunition for Ukraine outside the EU. According to the latest figures, 200,000 cartridges have already been purchased, while negotiations are underway to contract another 300,000 howitzers, with a delivery date of early June.
From Prague they regret that not all EU member states have joined their collective fund to reinforce the Ukrainian Army, which suffered setbacks on the front at the beginning of the year due to a shortage of ammunition. In this sense, it directly points to the lack of commitment of countries like France or Spain.
POLITICAL AGREEMENT FOR SANCTIONS ON IRAN
At the meeting of the 27 in Luxembourg, the crisis of recent days in the Middle East after the crossed attacks by Israel and Iran is also planned. In a meeting without major formal decisions, European ministers are expected to consolidate political consensus to advance more sanctions against Tehran, in an attempt to appease Israel and prevent the conflict from escalating.
The idea is to extend the current EU sanctions against Iran's drone and missile sector for sending material to Russia, which Moscow then uses in the war of aggression in Ukraine, so that they also punish the supply of drones to related militias. in the region, such as the Houthis in Yemen or Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The inclusion of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on the terrorist list will also be on the table after countries such as Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands have opened up to this scenario, although this step requires a legal basis that demonstrates its terrorist activity in the EU, so its adoption is expected to be complex, although a good group of countries is committed to redoubling the measures to send a strong signal to Tehran and its destabilizing actions in the Middle East.
In this sense, the deterioration of relations with Iran in recent years leads some European delegations to think that it is time for the EU to adopt a new, more critical position towards Tehran. Its regional influence, ties with Moscow and internal repression must imply a new position that involves putting aside the nuclear agreement, explain European sources, who regret that this pact to a certain extent “hijacks the possibilities of positioning itself” against Iran.
