The US has not confirmed the transfer of the second Patriot to Ukraine

The United States has not announced the transfer of a second Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, but work on this issue is ongoing. This was stated by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin after a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense (Ramstein format) on Thursday, June 13.

"Today I have no statements regarding Patriot batteries. But I can tell you that I am continuing to work on this and am in constant contact with my Ukrainian counterpart. We will do everything we can to make sure that the Ukrainians have the capability they need and that we deliver it as soon as possible," Austin said.

He noted that the issue of delivering Patriot to Ukraine has long been at the top of his agenda.

Austin added that the United States has already provided Ukraine with one battery of Patriot air defense systems.

On June 12, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed senior U.S. administration and military officials, that U.S. President Joe Biden had decided to send a second U.S. Patriot air defense system to Ukraine.

According to the newspaper, the second Patriot system will arrive from Poland, where it has been protecting the rotation of American troops returning to the United States.

On June 13, the 23rd meeting in the Ramstein format took place in Brussels. The day before, the Pentagon said that the priority topic of the meeting would be Ukraine's air defense.

Before the meeting of NATO defense ministers began on June 13, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Germany had already transferred a quarter of its stockpile of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, including a third system that will be delivered soon.

Author - Ihor Lontkivskyi 13.06.24