European countries are reluctant to supply missile systems to Ukraine in the war against Russia

European Union countries that have Patriot air defense systems appeared hesitant Monday to give them to Ukraine, which is desperate for at least seven of the missile batteries to fend off Russian air attacks.

Russia’s air force is far more powerful than Ukraine’s, but advanced missile systems from Kiev’s Western partners could pose a major threat to Russian aviation as Kremlin forces slowly move forward along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line in the war.

Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot said the Netherlands is “currently looking at all possible options” and is offering financial support to a German initiative to help Ukraine strengthen its air defenses and buy more drones.

ADVANCED AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS PROTECT ISRAEL FROM DRONES, MISSILES

Asked at a meeting of European Union foreign and defense ministers why the Netherlands is reluctant to send some of its Patriot systems, Slot said: “We are looking again at whether we can deplete our stock of what we still have, but that will be difficult. ”

Last week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the military organization “has identified existing capabilities within the alliance and that there are systems that can be made available to Ukraine.” He did not name the countries that patriots own.

The Patriot is a guided missile system that can target aircraft, cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic missiles. Each battery consists of a truck-mounted launch system with eight launchers, each capable of containing up to four missile interceptors, a ground-based radar, a control station and a generator.

A key advantage of the US-made systems, aside from their effectiveness, is that Ukrainian troops are already trained to use them.

But patriotism takes a long time to develop – as much as two years, some estimates suggest – so countries are reluctant to give them up and expose themselves. Germany had twelve, but supplies three to Ukraine. Poland, which borders Ukraine, has two and needs them for its own defense.

Asked whether his country would provide it, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said: “I don’t rule out that possibility, but at the moment we are focusing on financial contributions.” He said Sweden would send other systems that could “relieve some of the pressure” on the need for patriots.

Jonson also noted that there could be more U.S. deliveries of air defense systems after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $61 billion aid package this weekend, including $13.8 billion for Ukraine to buy weapons.

When asked whether Spain could join the Patriots, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said his country “will make its decisions based on the power it has in its hands to support Ukraine.”

“I don’t think we are helping anyone if we constantly hear what is given, when it is given and how it comes in,” he told reporters at the meeting in Luxembourg.

NATO maintains the weapons stockpiles of its 32 member states to ensure they can implement the organization’s defense plans in times of need.

But Stoltenberg said Friday that if falling under the guidelines is “the only way NATO allies can provide Ukraine with the weapons they need to defend themselves, then that is a risk we have to take.”

In addition to supplying new Patriot batteries, Stoltenberg said it is also important that countries ensure that the batteries they send are well maintained, have spare parts and enough interceptor missiles.

In a separate development at Monday’s meeting, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis expressed concern about possible Russian sabotage against facilities in Europe used to train Ukrainian troops.

Two German-Russian men were arrested in Germany last week on suspicion of espionage. One of them was accused of agreeing to carry out attacks on potential targets, including U.S. military facilities, prosecutors said.

“We are witnessing very similar events in our region, not only in Lithuania but also in Latvia and Estonia,” Landsbergis told reporters.

“There seems to be a coordinated action against European countries coming from Russia,” he said. “We have to find a way to deal with the threat… because Russia is not only fighting Ukraine, but also the West.”