NATO to discuss military aid for Ukraine amid delays in Patriot missile deliveries

The United Kingdom and Germany will bring together Ukraine's allies at NATO headquarters in Brussels to coordinate military assistance to Kyiv amid delays in the delivery of US-made Patriot missiles needed to repel Russian air attacks.

Report's European bureau informs, citing NATO, that the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format will take place on November 17.

The supply of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles remains a pressing issue for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Kyiv is awaiting approval from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to receive the missiles, deliveries of which have been delayed.

The European Commission has stressed that air defence remains Ukraine's top priority amid continued Russian attacks.

According to a European Commission spokesperson, procurement plans worth €28.3 billion have already been approved under the Ukraine support loan programme. These plans include the purchase of Patriot missiles from future US production. However, such deliveries take time, prompting the EU to repeatedly urge member states and international partners to supply Ukraine with missiles from their existing stockpiles.

The European Commission also said the loan programme includes an exemption allowing the purchase of Patriot interceptor missiles despite their being manufactured outside the EU and Ukraine.

Efforts to arrange the deliveries are ongoing, and the European Commission expects the missiles to be transferred to Kyiv in the near future.