Romanian President to discuss sending Patriot system to Ukraine
Photo: Romanian President Klaus Iohannis (getty images)
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that he was open to discussing the sending of the Patriot missile system to Ukraine, according to Reuters and AP.
After meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, Johannis noted that there had been a discussion over the past few weeks about who might provide the Patriot to Ukraine.
“President Biden mentioned it… in our meeting, and I said I was open to discussion. I must discuss it in the Supreme Defense Council to see what we can offer and what we can get in return, because it is unacceptable to leave Romania without air defenses,” Iohannis said.
Iohannis in Washington
US President Joe Biden hosted Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at the White House on Tuesday. The meeting in the Oval Office was supposed to mark two decades of Romania’s membership in NATO.
At the beginning of the meeting, Biden joked that he supported Romania’s accession to NATO when he was a senator “180 years ago” and said that the alliance has become stronger since Romania’s integration.
Biden noted that Romanian and American troops have fought and trained side by side. The US President praised Romania for “stepping up” to help Ukraine counter Russian aggression.
“The United States is committed to standing with you,” Biden told Iohannis.
For his part, Iohannis thanked Biden for hosting him and called the transatlantic alliance “the cornerstone of our democratic way of life.” He said he intends to make progress on visa waivers for Romanian travelers to the United States, but the most important topic is “finding a way to reinstall peace” in Europe and ensuring that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not win.
Additional Patriots for Ukraine
Earlier, Germany agreed to provide Ukraine with one additional Patriot system.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba suggests that the United States will also provide Ukraine with one system. Germany has also called for this.
Ukraine has already received Patriot missiles sent by Spain and other Western allies.