Borrell says buying Patriot for Ukraine is cheaper than rebuilding TPP destroyed by Russia

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell (Getty Images)

It is cheaper to buy American Patriot systems than to rebuild a power station destroyed by Russia, according to the EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell.

Responding to whether France can do more for Ukraine than Germany, Borrell stated that everyone can do more to fulfill European commitments.

“My role is not to point fingers at any particular country, but to develop a common position. For me, the overall figure is important, but I understand that this sum consists of very different concepts,” he said.

Borrell added that the issue is not about time but about quantity.

“It may be too late in a year. Before talking about rebuilding Ukraine, we must avoid its destruction. It’s cheaper to buy Patriot systems than to rebuild a power station targeted by the Russians,” said the EU diplomat.

Ukraine’s air defense systems

Since the onset of full-scale Russian aggression, Ukraine has been working on bolstering its air defense systems. However, the need for anti-aircraft defense intensified following renewed Russian strikes on energy facilities.

Germany has pledged to assist Ukraine in procuring air defense systems. Berlin said that it would review its stocks and search worldwide for systems that can be sent to Ukraine. Recently, Germany announced the transfer of an additional Patriot system to Ukraine.

However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that to fully secure Ukraine’s skies from Russian drones and missiles, 25 Patriot systems are needed.

According to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine has identified 100 available Patriot systems worldwide but initially aims to acquire 7 of them.

In addition to Patriot, Ukraine prioritizes the Samp-T systems, which are also capable of ballistic interception. Currently, Ukraine is negotiating to obtain two Patriot batteries and one Samp-T battery.