The EU expressed concerns about the shortage of its air defense stocks due to the delivery of Patriot to Kiev.

The European Union (EU) fears a prolonged shortage of air defense forces in its reserves due to the transfer of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. This was reported by Euractiv on August 4.

"However, European arsenals have already been depleted by previous donations to Ukraine, and there are concerns about potentially long-term gaps in their own air defenses if U.S. supplies are not as prompt as [U.S. President Donald] had anticipated." Trump," the publication says.

It is specified that six European countries, including Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain, own about 20 Patriot air defense systems. Over the past three and a half years, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have received six Patriot installations from the United States, Germany, Romania and the Netherlands.

According to the publication, global demand for advanced American-made air defense systems significantly exceeds supply, and waiting times for new orders reach several years. In addition, the cost of one system is about $1 billion, and each interceptor missile is $4 million.

It is noted that Germany has asked Washington for "irrefutable" guarantees of providing it with new American air defense systems for eight months before Germany supplies more missiles from its current stocks to Ukraine. Berlin also confirmed that it has priority in the supply of air defense systems, and this allowed the government to announce the supply of additional units of its own systems to Kiev.

According to the publication, Germany has a maximum of six Patriot systems left. Romania also faced a shortage of weapons, it abandoned one of the two existing Patriot systems last year, hoping for US help in supplying new systems, but later the deadlines were greatly increased.

According to the publication, the delivery time of the new Patriot missiles will take approximately seven years. The two main contractors of the US Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, involved in the production of weapons, are increasing production from about 500 to 650 missiles per year.

Anti-aircraft accounting: which countries can supply Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine

And will there be enough ammunition for them?

On July 14, Trump announced that the United States and the European Union had reached an agreement on the supply of weapons to Ukraine. According to him, the United States will produce weapons for Ukraine, and European countries will pay for them.

On July 19, it was reported about the US decision to reorient the supply of Patriot air defense systems to the allies so that they reach Ukraine faster. It was noted that this step highlights the difficulties in supplying Kiev with American air defense systems, as well as other Western weapons, since defense production lines are having a hard time coping with the requests of the Ukrainian authorities.

On August 1, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Germany would supply Ukraine with two Patriot air defense systems after an agreement with the United States. It is noted that the German side will supply weapons to Kiev in the near future. Additional system components will be transferred over the next few months.

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