EU defence commissioner to continue Ukraine missile tour in Sweden, France and Norway
Andrius Kubilius, EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, is continuing what he called a missile tour of EU states in a bid to secure urgent supplies of air defence missiles for Ukraine. He is due to travel to Sweden and then to France and Norway on 26 March.
Source: European Pravda correspondent in Brussels, citing Kubilius on 25 March
Details: Kubilius said he will hold talks on supplying air defence missiles to Ukraine in Sweden, France and Norway.
Quote: "We visited Poland, we visited Germany, we visited Italy. Tomorrow we are going, tomorrow and Friday [we'll be] in Sweden. Then we're going to France, maybe Norway, maybe some other countries."
More details: Kubilius added that "air defence and the production of missiles, first of all for air defence, is a critical story of today, not only for Europe".
Quote: "We need to understand that especially with the war in Iran, when according to media reports during the first five days, both American troops and the Gulf country troops used around 800 anti-ballistic missiles produced by the Patriot system."
More details: Kubilius pointed out that Ukraine needs around 2,000 Patriot anti-ballistic missiles a year, while total annual Patriot missile production in the United States amounts to around 750 units.
Quote: "We need to, first of all really, to boost production of anti-ballistic missiles in Europe."
Background:
- Andrius Kubilius began his missile tour for Ukraine in Poland.
- He said the EU is looking for ways to avoid a shortage of air defence missiles for Ukraine amid the war in the Middle East.
- Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, said earlier that weapons and defence capabilities needed by Ukraine, including air defence systems, are currently being redirected to the Middle East, raising concerns.
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