Patriot for Ukraine: Sweden considers transfer of air defense system

Photo: Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson (Getty Images)

Ukraine is currently in a challenging situation, so Sweden needs to make its contribution to the defense of the country, stated Minister of Defense of Sweden, Pål Jonson.

He noted that at the top of Ukraine’s wishlist is the Patriot air defense system.

According to Jonson, Sweden has four such systems at its disposal, but the minister cannot promise or rule out the possibility of providing something to the Ukrainian defense.

“We are in the process of developing our own air defense system. Many countries use the Patriot, and the US has significant resources in this area. It is quite possible that we can make our contribution, but we need to see how best to do it,” he said

Air defense systems for Ukraine

In recent weeks, Russia has significantly intensified its aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure objects. Mass missile strikes have depleted Ukrainian air defense systems, allowing Russia to inflict considerable damage, including the destruction of thermal power stations and thermal power plants.

In response to this critical situation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that for reliable protection of the country’s airspace, only 25 American Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems are needed.

Germany was the first to respond to Ukraine’s call for assistance with air defense systems. The Germans conducted an inventory of their reserves and activated the search for additional systems worldwide.

As a result of these efforts, Germany announced its decision to transfer an additional Patriot system to Ukraine.

However, Ukraine’s priority is not only Patriot but also Samp-T systems, which are also capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. Currently, negotiations are underway to obtain two Patriot batteries and one Samp-T battery.