NATO and EU press Spain and Greece to transfer interceptors for Patriot systems to Ukraine, Bloomberg says

NATO and the European Union are pressuring Spain and Greece, which hold some of the largest stocks of missiles for Patriot air defence systems, to sell interceptors to Norway so that Norway can transfer them to Ukraine.

Source: Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The requests to Spain and Greece were made this summer and include the possibility of Norway purchasing the missiles and then transferring them to Ukraine, according to Bloomberg sources.

The issue is also expected to be discussed at today's meeting of EU defence and foreign ministers in Ireland, which will also be attended by representatives of Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.

Among Ukraine's partners, Spain and Greece hold some of the largest stocks of missiles for Patriots, some of which are also approaching the end of their shelf life.

Greece was one of the first countries to send ammunition to Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion. Hovewer, it has refused to provide Patriot missiles, citing the need to retain them for its own defence amid its long-standing rivalry with Türkiye.

Earlier this year, Spain said it would provide Ukraine with €1 billion in military aid in 2026.

Some air defence systems are still expected to reach Ukraine in the coming months under the PURL programme, which allows NATO allies to purchase US weapons for Kyiv.

However, the EU is considering whether to allow Ukraine to purchase more Patriot missiles using a €90 billion loan for Kyiv. Countries such as France and Italy want the funds to be directed towards the SAMP/T system, while others fear this could create unnecessary difficulties for Kyiv.

EU member states will vote on the issue on 7 September.

Background:

• On 1 September, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said EU member states should provide Ukraine with the interceptor missiles it needs, including those whose shelf life is about to expire.
• UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said European leaders are considering holding another meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in the United States, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September, to discuss supplying Ukraine with Patriot interceptor missiles.
• Earlier, Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said the Netherlands, which operates Patriot air defence systems and their interceptor missiles, had given Ukraine everything it could from its stocks.

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