Kuleba describes negotiations on Patriot supply, believing that night in Kharkiv would help Western partners make decision
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba believes that his talks in Brussels regarding the provision of air defence systems to Ukraine were successful despite the lack of concrete agreements so far.
Source: Kuleba in a speech at the III Ukraine-France Forum held in Paris by the New Europe Center together with the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI)
Details: Kuleba said additional air defence systems will be allocated, "The result of the day is that the work on searching for Patriot systems will be significantly prioritised."
Quote: "There is a significant difference between how we searched for shells and how we are now searching for Patriot. In the first case, the problem was to find where the shells were. And finally, we did that. Then we found the funds and they will soon be in Ukraine. But with Patriot, everything is different. There is no need to find them; everyone knows where they are."
Kuleba noted that the essence of the discussion now lies in how to redeploy these systems in Western countries to free up several batteries.
"[Western counterparts] often tell me, 'We understand you, but what you're talking about is very difficult to do'. But I'm sure that one night spent in Kharkiv would make this decision much easier for them," the minister explained.
Kuleba pointed out that Western countries benefit from supplying air defence systems because "if you don't down missiles flying towards energy facilities, soon you'll have to spend money to restore that facility".
Background:
- On 4 April, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that some Allies promised at meetings in Brussels that they would look for additional air defence equipment for Ukraine in their stockpiles.
- As reported, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken took immediate action following Ukraine's request for additional Patriots.
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