Ukraine starts talks with Germany to receive Patriot systems

Ukraine has started talks with Germany to receive Patriot air defence systems.

The statement came from Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in an interview with Polsat News, RBC-Ukraine reports.

The minister said that Ukraine fully supports Poland's idea to deploy Patriot on its western territory, which is the best way to defend not only Ukraine but also Poland and other European and NATO countries.

"We have started talks with Germany on this issue. We have raised these issues with the United States because they own Patriot technology. I am also using NATO and OSCE ministerial meetings to talk to everyone who can help us make a positive decision on supplying Patriot to Ukraine," Kuleba said.

“Germany had already handed Ukraine equipment to help destroy Russian troops. At the same time, the Patriot system is not a lethal weapon, it will protect Ukrainians from missiles,” the foreign minister responded to the fears of some German politicians.

The German Defence Ministry said that the government is not in talks with Ukraine on deliveries or deployment of Patriot air defence systems.

"I am not aware of any negotiations with Ukraine," a German Defence Ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman explained that the German Defence Ministry Christine Lambrecht was proposing to deploy rather than hand over the Patriot system to Poland. However, they will be operated by the German military.

The German Defence Ministry is said to submit to the government a proposal to deploy the Patriot air defence system in Ukraine.