NATO allies are struggling to secure air defence systems for Ukraine, but the alliance admits problems in sourcing the equipment Kiev is seeking from its Western partners.
NATO countries are struggling to identify and provide enough air defence systems to meet Kiev’s needs, Western officials told the Financial Times, amid calls from Kiev for better protection against Russian air and missile strikes.
Germany sent the first of four promised advanced Iris-T SLM air defence systems to Ukraine on Tuesday, while US President Joe Biden on Monday pledged to continue providing “advanced air defence systems” after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Western officials agree on the need for more air defence and want to help, but say finding them quickly is a challenge. Two senior Western officials say the US and other powers are working to find systems that can be relocated, in the face of production shortages in the west and stretched stocks.
“Countries have already provided some, but there is a shortage of production capacity,” said one official, who declined to be identified given the sensitivity of the talks.
NATO countries, including Poland and Britain, have provided Ukraine with various air defence platforms since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, ranging from hand-held missile launchers to more sophisticated truck-mounted systems, creating a patchwork of defences alongside Ukraine’s own post-Soviet systems such as the S-300.
According to officials, the US has promised to deliver two platforms of its advanced national advanced surface-to-air missile system (Nasams) in the next two months, with six more to come in the long term. While Ukraine’s existing systems were able to shoot down 41 of more than 80 missiles fired by Russia at its cities on Monday, officials and analysts said there were not enough to protect both civilian centres and troops on the front lines from Russian attacks.
US and NATO officials said support for air defence and missile defence would be the focus of Wednesday’s talks between the countries, which have pledged around $40 billion in arms and defence funding to Ukraine since February.
Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the meetings would be “attuned” to Ukraine’s needs. “After Russia attacked Ukrainian civilians, we will look for air defence options to help Ukrainians defend themselves,” he said.
Jens Stoltenberg, NATO secretary-general, said on Tuesday that while he welcomed “recent statements from allies about providing better air defence systems”, he was “looking forward to further deliveries”. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)