U.S. alters weapon shipments toward Ukraine
In proximity to artillery munitions, Ukraine is also in deficit of ammunition for their Patriot air defense system. Some foreign nations have placed orders for rockets in the US, but they're held up. The U.S. administration is prioritizing the dispatch to Kiev ahead of everyone else.
The U.S. government has opted to hold off on the delivery of specific military equipment to other countries so they can beef up Ukraine's air defense capabilities first. John Kirby, the Spokesperson for the National Security Council, announced that the U.S. government made the "tough but requisite" call to postpone certain scheduled military sales to other nations, primarily Patriot and NASAMS missiles, and instead redirect them towards Ukraine.
The affected countries have been alerted. Kirby did not disclose which countries these were. They'll still get what they ordered - just at a later date than initially scheduled. According to the "New York Times," Israel and Taiwan won't be affected by the delayed delivery.
Kirby mentioned that it entails hundreds of air defense missiles that should be sent to Ukraine. He didn't disclose any additional details. The first deliveries are rumored to reach Kiev within the coming weeks. U.S. President Joe Biden had hinted at such moves during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the G7 summit in Italy a few days prior.
Zelensky extends appreciation to the U.S.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the U.S. decision. He conveyed his "heartfelt gratitude for prioritizing Ukraine." He posted on his X channel, "These extra air defense capabilities will safeguard Ukrainian cities and the civilian population."
It appears one of the countries that has to delay its Patriot rockets for the time being is Switzerland. The "Blick" claims this based on multiple anonymous sources. The neighbor of Germany is said to have signed a procurement contract with the U.S. in the fall with a volume of 300 million Swiss francs. This contract included the delivery of PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot system.
According to the report, the contract allows for deviations from the agreed delivery conditions if there are extraordinary or compelling reasons and U.S. national security interests are compromised.
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The U.S. decision to prioritize the dispatch of air defense systems to Ukraine over other countries' orders has impacted Switzerland, as they were expecting delivery of PAC-3 missiles for their Patriot system. The U.S. administration is also supplying Ukraine with the Patriot air defense system, which is crucial for protecting their cities and civilians. Other nations, such as Israel and Taiwan, have not been affected by the delayed deliveries of arms exports.
