Ukraine Eyes Israel's Retired Patriots

A Patriot surface-to-air missile is fired by U.S. forces during a drill on April 25, 2023 at the Naval Education Training and Doctrine Command (NETDC) in San Antonio, Zambales, Philippines. The system has been vital to Ukraine’s defense against Russian bombardment.

Israel’s decision to retire its American-made Patriot air defense systems may open a window of opportunity for Ukraine, which through two years of Russia’s full-scale war has struggled to stop Moscow’s missiles and drones striking targets nationwide.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday that the country will phase out its Patriot surface-to-air missile systems in favor of more modern homegrown air defenses like the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow platforms. Israel’s Patriot systems will be withdrawn within the next two months, The Times of Israel newspaper said.

It is unclear what will happen to the systems. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit declined Newsweek’s request for comment on its future plans for the withdrawn systems

“It would be logical if Israel would give us their Patriot systems, because it would help us—in particular—to destroy Iranian drones used by Russia,” Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament and the chair of the body’s foreign affairs committee, told Newsweek.

“We are glad to receive any kind of weaponry which would help us to defend our cities and intercept Russian missiles and drones,” he added.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his nation needs at least seven more systems—or other equivalents—to defend cities and front-line positions against near constant Russian missile, drone and glide bomb attacks. The president said Ukraine needs 25 such platforms for total coverage of the country.

At the front, too, more Patriots would be a relief for Ukrainian troops. “We desperately need Patriot systems to keep Russian combat planes equipped with glide bombs away from the city of Kharkiv,” Ivan Stupak, a former officer in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and now an adviser to the Ukrainian parliament’s national security, defense and intelligence committee, told Newsweek.

It is unclear whether Kyiv is already in talks with the U.S. or Israel about acquiring the systems. Newsweek has contacted the State Department via email to request comment.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Washington Post in April that his ministry has identified more than 100 Patriots worldwide that could be sent to the country. But foreign nations—even staunch backers of Kyiv—have been hesitant to part with their expensive and strategically vital defense systems.

Germany has committed an extra system bringing Berlin’s total contribution to three Patriots, while Spain has said it will send more missiles for Ukraine’s existing systems. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte—who is the favorite to become the next NATO chief later this year—has said his nation is willing to buy additional Patriots from third countries and send them to Ukraine.

The U.S. and Ukraine are in talks to develop joint Patriot production capability. The issue was among the primary topics of discussion during Zelensky’s most recent visit to the U.S, according to Kyiv’s representative in the U.S.

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