Ukraine's Kuleba demands more Patriot air defense systems - WP

Diplomatic negotiations with partners, during which Ukraine asked them to provide it with additional Patriot systems, did not work even in the face of repeated ballistic missile strikes from Russia.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this in an interview with The Washington Post, Ukrinform reports.

"Nice and quiet diplomacy didn't work," Kuleba said.

Kyiv received its first Patriot batteries last summer, but the three it has now are not sufficient to defend the entire country against Russia's increased aerial bombardment. So in a wartime government that tasks each of its top officials with lobbying Western allies for more weapons, President Volodymyr Zelensky delegated a specific track for Kuleba — to persuade countries with spare Patriots to transfer them.

Kuleba emphasized repeatedly that he and Ukraine are grateful for the security assistance that many countries have already provided, but he has also started to air frustrations publicly about the limits of their continued support.

Kuleba said his team has identified more than 100 available Patriots — some neighboring countries have more than one battery guarding a port or airfield, he said. Zelensky has said Ukraine needs 26 to create a total air shield over Ukraine, but Kuleba is initially focused on obtaining seven as quickly as possible.

During a recent meeting in Brussels marking NATO's 75th anniversary, Kuleba harshly told those in attendance: "I'm sorry to spoil the birthday party, but who can believe that the mightiest military alliance in the world cannot find seven batteries of Patriots to provide them to the only country in the world that is fighting ballistic attacks every day?"

Still, Kuleba has not stopped lobbying the Americans to send some of their own Patriot systems.

Repeating the caveat that he is appreciative of the arms already supplied by Washington, Kuleba said: "Do you sincerely believe that the whole U.S. Army does not have one spare battery of Patriots that is not on combat duty and that cannot be given to Ukraine? I don't."

Kuleba said that he is confident Ukraine will eventually receive more Patriot systems but that delays cost Ukrainian lives.

In recent weeks, Russia has increased its attacks on critical Ukrainian infrastructure, causing power outages in some cities, including Kharkiv. Kyiv is focusing its requests for more air defenses on the Patriot because it is the only weapon that can intercept and destroy Russian hypersonic ballistic missiles, such as the Kinzhal.