Germany says it cannot provide more Patriot systems to Ukraine

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has stated that Berlin is unable to provide Ukraine with additional Patriot air defence systems from its own reserves, Deutsche Welle reported.

Responding to Kyiv’s calls for increased deliveries of air defence ammunition, Pistorius emphasised that Germany has already made what he described as a “disproportionately large contribution,” having transferred more than one-third of its Patriot systems to Ukraine. He explained that further transfers are not possible at present, as the Bundeswehr is awaiting replacement systems and must also maintain sufficient capabilities for training personnel and carrying out technical maintenance.

At the same time, Pistorius acknowledged that the number of IRIS-T air defence systems supplied to Ukraine remains insufficient. He noted that Germany is currently the only country capable of delivering these systems to Kyiv and is doing so, as he put it, “in a sense on a permanent basis.” However, he added that in light of the sharp escalation in the intensity of Russian attacks, previous shipments are still not enough to meet Ukraine’s needs.

Turning to Ukraine’s Western partners, the German defence minister called on allies to jointly assess their own weapons stockpiles, particularly in countries that may still possess available reserves.

Pistorius also strongly condemned Russia’s systematic strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, describing them as especially cynical. He said that while talks were taking place in Abu Dhabi on a potential ceasefire, Russia continued to carry out attacks with “relentless cruelty and brutality,” targeting civilian energy facilities during the harsh winter, terrorising the Ukrainian population, and flagrantly violating international law.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump agreed on the supply of Patriot missiles to Ukraine during a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22. Trump described the discussions as very successful and noted that all sides were interested in ending the war.

After returning from Davos, Zelenskyy said he had secured agreements on a new package of critically needed air defence systems for Ukraine, though he did not provide further details.

Patriot missiles are currently of critical importance for Ukraine as Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have intensified.

By Tamilla Hasanova