Danish PM urges Europe to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called on Western partners to provide Ukraine with missiles for Patriot air defence systems, stressing this is needed before winter. She said the decision is a matter of political will, though the US holds the production license.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, speaking to Danish media in Kyiv, called on Western countries to transfer missiles for Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine. She stressed there are no technical obstacles to doing so — only political will is required.
According to the prime minister, Patriot systems are held by many countries, and while Denmark itself cannot provide such assistance, other nations have the ability to significantly increase support for Ukraine's air defence. She did not name specific countries expected to take this step.
Frederiksen emphasized that Ukraine particularly needs this support ahead of the coming winter. She warned that if the West fails to act, Ukraine will face a winter during which Russia will continue relentless strikes, including with ballistic missiles, killing many people.
US role remains essential
While European countries are currently shouldering most of the commitments to support Ukraine, they still need American assistance, the Danish head of government noted. This is because the United States alone holds the license to produce Patriot missiles.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine needs up to 360 Patriot air defence missiles for the winter. He also noted that Germany has agreed to supply several hundred PAC-2 missiles in 2027–2028. Additionally, Zelensky announced Ukraine would receive new radars for its air defence systems following a call with French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron, in turn, told Ukraine's president by phone that France would strengthen its support and send interceptor missiles.
