EU defense ministers make no progress in finding Patriot missiles for Kiev — Kallas
The EU top diplomat reiterated that countries with limited remaining stocks of Patriot missiles nearing their expiration dates should send them to Ukraine
BRUSSELS, September 1. /TASS/. EU defense ministers made "no progress" in finding Patriot missiles for Kiev, limiting themselves to "calls and talks" at an informal meeting at the Druid’s Glen resort in Ireland, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said at a news conference after the meeting.
"On Patriot missiles, no, we didn't get any concrete decisions today. But there were calls and talks about these missiles, and they will continue. Unfortunately, no concrete success today regarding this," Kallas said, responding to a question about whether the ministers had secured air defense systems for the Kiev regime.
Kallas noted that Ukraine’s defense minister had told the meeting that air defense missiles were the top priority, but recalled they are now in short supply everywhere. She also thanked EU countries that had reviewed their stockpiles again.
Kallas reiterated her view that countries with limited remaining stocks of Patriot missiles nearing their expiration dates should send them to Ukraine. She was referring in particular to Greece, which maintains a reserve of air defense missiles in case of a conflict with Turkey, although both countries are NATO members.
She stressed that EU countries were also exploring ways to reprioritize new orders and were approaching partners worldwide in search of missiles.