German Defence Minister Pistorius: Germany Cannot Spare More Patriot Air-Defence Systems for Ukraine for Now
BERLIN — German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with the Funke media group published on Saturday, November 7, that Germany cannot give Ukraine more Patriot air-defence systems for the time being. 'Anything we give now cannot be replaced for the time being; that would create gaps in our own defences that we cannot responsibly accept,' he said. 'We cannot do more right now.'
Pistorius said Germany has already handed over several Patriot systems and many guided missiles, and that other countries should do more. The issue, he said, will be discussed seriously at the next Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting, in the Ramstein format, in mid-November.
Ukraine faces ballistic missile strikes ahead of winter, and Patriots are among the air-defence systems Kyiv values most. Germany is one of Europe's principal military suppliers to Ukraine; Pistorius's remarks mean Kyiv cannot count on additional complete Patriot systems from Berlin in the near term.
The statement concerns the limit on transferring complete systems; it does not announce an end to German military aid to Ukraine or a halt to interceptor deliveries. Whether allies step up at the next contact group meeting remains to be seen.
(Source: Funke Media Group)
Source: Funke Media Group
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美军「爱国者」导弹系统在 Croatia 参加演习。美国陆军照片，公共领域（Wikimedia Commons），本站档案图复用。 / A U.S. Army Patriot missile system operating in Croatia. U.S. Army photo, public domain (Wikimedia Commons); GSM archive reuse.
