EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said that Ukraine needs a year's worth of American Patriot missiles for one winter season. According to him, the current US production capacity may not be enough to simultaneously meet the needs of Ukraine, the Gulf countries and its own armed forces.
Speaking in Warsaw, Kubilius stressed that the issue of increasing the production of air and missile defense missiles has become even more urgent for Europe after the aggravation of the situation in the Middle East. He noted that the United States will not be able to fully meet the needs of all partners at the same time.
According to his estimate, Ukraine needs about 700 Patriot missiles of the PAC-2 and PAC-3 types for the winter period alone. This volume roughly corresponds to the annual production of such missiles by American enterprises. At the same time, Ukraine's total need for the year, according to the official, may be about 2,000 missiles or more.
Kubilius stressed that in the face of growing security threats, the European Union should more actively develop its own defense production capabilities and invest in expanding the production of air defense equipment. In his opinion, this will reduce dependence on external supplies and increase the stability of the allies' supply.
The issue of missile sufficiency for air defense remains one of the key ones in the context of protecting critical infrastructure and civilians, especially during periods of increased intensity of hostilities and massive attacks.
