Scholz expects allies to mobilize six Patriot batteries for Ukraine after Germany's three

BRUSSELS, April 18 () –

The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, defended this Thursday that Germany has already delivered three Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine to improve its protection against Russian attacks, underlining that now the allies within the framework of NATO will mobilize six more systems of this type that Spain has, among others.

“We know that Ukraine needs our support and a signal of long-term assistance. Germany has already delivered two Patriot systems and we are going to give the third. We are the country that is giving the most substantial support. We ask others to make similar decisions,” he assured. the German leader at a press conference from Brussels after the extraordinary summit of EU heads of state and government.

NATO has made it clear that systems available in allied countries could be transferred to Ukraine, Scholz explained. “I want to repeat this call, we have heard that there are seven systems and we hope to find six more in the context of NATO and I have used this opportunity to request it in different conversations,” he reiterated.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, for his part, has celebrated Germany's commitment but wanted to make it clear that the Patriots system is a “more shared” system between the allies but is not the one used by countries like France or Italy, which they have SAMP/T with fewer missile suppliers.

“But that is where Europe is useful, because we are complementary. Germany supplies what it has the most capacity for and we supply what it has the most ability to provide,” he summarized, after stating that each country “has deployed what it has been able to deploy.” in Ukraine.

Ukraine's request has been sneaked into the extraordinary summit of leaders in Brussels thanks to the president, Volodimir Zelensky, who in his speech by videoconference insisted on the damage that Russia is inflicting on thermal and hydroelectric plants. “This can only be stopped with anti-aircraft defense,” said the Ukrainian leader, specifically mentioning the Patriot, IRIS-T or NASAMS systems. “Systems that you have,” he said, insisting on his request to reinforce Ukraine's anti-aircraft aid after the international community demonstrated its ability to respond to Iran's attack with drones and missiles against Israel.

Specifically, kyiv demands six of these systems, which the Netherlands, Romania, Germany and Spain have, at a time when pressure is redoubling for European partners to supply these systems considered key to shielding Ukraine against the Russian attacks.

Thus, the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, acknowledged that there is “more pressure for these countries.” “They basically ask for six Patriots and we know where they are in Europe. These countries don't need it as much as Ukraine needs it now,” she said. While the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, explained that the shared feeling among the leaders of the 27 is that “more must be done.” “We will coordinate the next few days to see how we can do more. The Patriots would be the best, but if there are no alternatives,” he said.

This Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg demanded that the allies step forward to reinforce their deliveries to Ukraine and stressed that NATO in global terms has “systems large enough to allow itself to supply Ukraine with “significantly greater amount” of anti-aircraft defenses.