WASHINGTON (AP) — America will send Ukraine Another Patriot missile system, two U.S. officials said Tuesday, responded to Kevin’s desperate calls for more air defenses as they battled a serious Russian offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
Officials said President Joe Biden had approved the move. It will be The second is the patriotic system The U.S. delivered to Ukraine, although the Pentagon routinely provided the organization with an undisclosed number of missiles. Other allies, including Germany, have also provided air defense systems and ammunition for them.
The two U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been made public. The decision was first reported by the New York Times.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky late last month appealed to more American-made patriotic organizations to help his forces combat the roughly 3,000 bombs that Russia fires into the country each month.
Speaking in Madrid, Zelensky said seven more systems were urgently needed to deter Russian attacks against Ukraine. Power grid And Public areasAs well as military targets, devastating cruise missiles cause widespread destruction.
He said Ukraine needed two systems to defend Kharkiv, where Russia launched a cross-border offensive on May 10 that still has Ukrainian troops reeling.
“If we have these modern patriotic systems, (Russian) planes cannot fly close enough to drop (glide) bombs on civilians and the military,” Zelensky told a news conference in the Spanish capital.
The decision comes as defense chiefs from the US, Europe and other countries prepare for a monthly meeting on Ukraine’s security needs. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will hold a meeting in Brussels on Thursday.
The United States has routinely pressed allies to provide air defense systems to Ukraine, but many are reluctant to give up the high-tech systems — especially in countries in Eastern Europe that feel threatened by Russia.
The U.S. is also wary of giving too much away, as it is used around the world to protect U.S. forces and allies.
Major General Pat Ryder told reporters on Monday that Ukraine’s air defense needs will be discussed at the meeting.
