"US Prioritizes Providing Patriot Air Defense System to Ukraine"

Missile System to Be Delivered Abroad, to Ukraine

The United States has decided to allocate all Patriot surface-to-air missile systems produced domestically to Ukraine as needed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took a photo with soldiers in front of a Patriot air defense missile.
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

According to major foreign media reports, the U.S. announced this decision on the 20th (local time). It will temporarily halt sales of Patriot air defense systems ordered by other countries and prioritize supplying them to Ukraine. The ability to adjust the timing of air defense system deliveries to other countries is due to the 'open order' method, where the supplier, the U.S., determines the delivery schedule.

U.S. President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the G7 summit held in Italy from the 13th to the 15th and hinted at the possibility of delaying deliveries of Patriot air defense systems to other countries. He stated, "Five countries have agreed to support Ukraine with Patriot systems," adding, "Everything we have will go to Ukraine as much as they need."

Countries such as Poland and Romania, which placed open orders with the U.S., have not yet received Patriot systems. According to foreign media reports, NATO member countries had ordered approximately 1,000 Patriot missiles as of January.

Officials from the U.S. and Ukrainian governments have not commented on this situation.

The Patriot air defense system consists of batteries, radars, and missiles. It is known that Ukraine has at least four batteries provided by the U.S. and Germany.

Ukraine has been engaged in war for two years and four months due to Russia's invasion. Russian forces have bombarded major Ukrainian cities and power infrastructure with missiles and suicide drones (unmanned aerial vehicles).