According to a high-ranking official from the White House and a representative of the US Congress, the first deliveries of American missiles to Ukraine's air defense systems should begin already this summer.
Points of attention
- The first deliveries of American missiles to Ukraine's air defence systems are planned for the summer.
- The White House confirmed that Ukraine is a priority recipient of interceptor missiles for the Patriot and NASAMS systems.
- Diplomatic efforts are being made to inform customer countries of delays in delivering interceptor missiles.
- Biden adviser Jake Sullivan first expressed the idea of changing the global supply list after Russia's increased attacks on Ukraine.
- The plan to bring Ukraine to the top of the list of priorities was ready at the end of May, which will contribute to strengthening the defence against Russian attacks.
What is known about the US delivery of additional missiles to Ukraine's air defence systems
According to the White House representative in a comment to the publication's journalists, the decision looks rather extraordinary in the context of the change in Washington's policy at a critical moment for Ukraine.
If we didn't do this for Ukraine, they wouldn't be able to maintain their critical air defense stockpiles until winter. This decision is being made to ensure that they can defend themselves against these relentless Russian missile and drone attacks,” the White House spokesman explained.
It is noted that Ukraine's priority among the list of weapons recipients primarily concerns interceptor missiles for the Patriot and NASAMS systems.
It is emphasized that the priority will be maintained until Ukraine receives a sufficient number of these missiles.
At the same time, the term is called at least 16 months.
How the US explains changes in the supply of air defence missiles to other customer countries
State Department and Pentagon officials are making diplomatic efforts to inform customer countries that the transfer of interceptor missiles will be delayed.
According to the publication's interlocutors, information on the number of countries that will have to face delays in receiving American interceptor missiles is not disclosed.
The only affirmative statement was that Ukraine's priority would not affect the export of air defence to Taiwan.
So far, at least in private discussions, many of these countries have understood and appreciated the need for this decision. If any of our partners found themselves in such a life situation as the one in which Ukraine is now, we would move heaven and earth to help them, and it so happened that now this country is Ukraine, emphasised White House rep.
Journalists of the publication note that the idea to change the global list of US air defence supplies was first expressed by Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan in mid-April, when Russia intensified missile and drone attacks on critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, and Congress approved a package of additional funding.
The Pentagon offered options for implementing it, and the final plan to bring Ukraine to the top of the priority list was ready at the end of May.
We are now effectively mobilising our defense industrial potential to get anti-aircraft interceptor missiles moving from the assembly line directly to Ukraine, which will provide them with a sufficient number so that they can defend themselves against Russian missile attacks in the foreseeable future, emphasized one of the interlocutors of the publication.
