The preparations for Patriot’s deliveries to Ukraine are underway, announces the supreme commander of the Allied forces in NATO Europe
The supreme commander of the Allied Forces in NATO Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, confirmed on Thursday at a conference in Wiesbaden, that the instructions he had received were to deliver the Patriot systems to Ukraine as quickly as possible.
“I will not reveal to the Russians or anyone who is the exact number of weapons that we transfer or the calendar of these deliveries, but what I can say is that the preparations are in progress. We work in close collaboration with the Germans on the transfer of Patriot systems, and the instructions which have been given to me are to act as quickly as possible. This is what we do. And we also examine other capacities, identify needs, and work on proposals to be subject to our political leaders. We will go as fast as possible on this file. »»
He added that the patriot systems already present in Europe could be quickly moved to Ukraine, then replaced later from the American production chains. “Air defense is essential on the modern battlefield, and we have seen the extent of the recent Russian attacks against Ukraine, so it is a key priority”he said.
A meeting of countries holding Patriot systems and donors from Ukraine, chaired by Alexus Grynkewich and aimed at identifying additional batteries likely to be delivered to kyiv, could be held on Wednesday, a source close to discussions told Reuters.
General Alexus Grynkewich, a former fighter pilot, who took office as supreme commander of the Allied forces in NATO Europe, also warned that even in the event of a peaceful solution in Ukraine, Russia would remain a threat.
“War persists at our door, in Ukraine. Even if we are looking for a peaceful solution, and even if this solution leads, the Russian capacities present will be reconstructed, and by their simple existence, they will represent something that we will have to take into account a military point of view, and understand how it threatens the alliance and the freedoms that we cherish. »»
The general also insisted on the urgency for NATO to intensify his commitment more global, warning the possibility of multiple conflicts occurring at the same time, in particular a war in Europe and a war in the Pacific.
