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Romania promised on June 21 to send one of its American-made MIM-104 Patriot long-range air defense systems to Ukraine.
“Considering the significant deterioration of the security situation in Ukraine … Council members decided to donate a PATRIOT system to Ukraine,” the Romanian president’s office said in a statement.
Nevertheless, the promise comes on the condition that allies and “especially the American strategic partner” agree to provide an alternative “temporary solution” for Romania.
Romania, a NATO member since 2004, signed a $4 billion deal in 2017 to obtain a number of Patriot systems armed with PAC-2 GEM-T & PAC-3 MSE missiles, but so far only has one that is operational.
A Patriot system costs around $1,1 billion. A single PAC-3 missile costs some $7 million and a PAC-2 missile could cost up to $4 million, depending on the version.
In May, Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis said following a meeting with United States President Joe Biden that the issue of a Patriot pledge for Ukraine had been part of talks at the White House.
“I must discuss it in the Supreme Defense Council to see what we can offer and what we can get in return, because it is unacceptable to leave Romania without air defenses,” Iohannis said at the time.
Ukraine received last year two Patriot batteries and two launchers from Germany and another battery from the United States with two additional launchers donated by the Netherlands.
Most of these systems have already been damaged or destroyed by the Russian military. On the backdrop of these losses, the Kiev regime demanded more systems from its allies.
In response to these Ukrainian demands, Germany confirmed last month that it will supply a third Patriot system to Kiev forces. Around the same time, Spain said that it would provide additional missiles to Kiev forces.
President Biden also made the decision earlier this month to supply an additional Patriot system to Ukraine. Later, the U.S. announced that it will halt all open orders for Patriot missiles and redirect them to Kiev forces until its defense needs are met.
Moreover, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that his country would deliver another 100 Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine in an initiative with Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.
The additional Patriot systems Ukraine will get from its allies, which worth multiple billions along with their missiles, will most likely be destroyed by the Russian military similar to the ones supplied last year.
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