Europe names conditions for handing over Patriot to Ukraine

The United States and European allies are discussing a new deal that would allow Ukraine to receive more Patriot air defense systems. The plan is for NATO countries to hand over the existing systems to Kyiv and quickly receive replacements from the United States. The decision is critical because Ukraine needs at least 10 additional batteries, compared to six it currently has.

The agreement faces a number of challenges. European countries, particularly Germany, are demanding written guarantees from Washington that the new systems will arrive within eight months at the earliest. Without these guarantees, the allies fear weakening their own defenses, especially on NATO’s eastern flank. For example, Germany has already transferred three batteries to Ukraine, and has promised five more, but only has six left.

The main problem is the slow production of Patriot. One system costs about a billion dollars, each missile – four million. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are ramping up production: the missile output will increase from 500 to 650 units per year, and also plan to invest almost a billion dollars in expanding capacity. But the wait for new deliveries could still take from two to seven years.

In Europe, Patriot has only a few countries – Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain – and they have limited stockpiles. There are about two dozen batteries in the region. Some have already been transferred to Ukraine, the rest are guarding NATO infrastructure.

The decision on which deliveries to prioritize rests with the US president. Without a clear political signal and swift US action, allies are not prepared to risk their own defense. Raytheon officials confirm that production growth is being held back by a shortage of explosives and critical materials. Some orders, like those from Romania, have already been delayed for several years.

Thus, if the US can ensure a quick replacement and production ramp-up, Ukraine will receive more Patriot systems. Otherwise, the initiative may fail due to lack of trust and technical limitations.

Let us recall that the Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems that the US promised to transfer to Ukraine will not arrive in Germany before the spring of 2026.

The first Patriot air defense missile battery promised as part of Donald Trump’s new aid package was reportedly delivered to Ukraine on July 25.

Lithuania plans to facilitate the purchase of American long-range Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine, allocating up to 30 million euros for this.

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