Pistorius: Germany cannot transfer Patriots from its own stockpiles due to risk of gaps

Germany no longer has the ability to transfer additional Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine from its own military stockpiles. This was stated by the Federal Republic of Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius in an interview with the Funke media group.

Risk of critical gaps in protection

According to Pistorius, Berlin has already transferred several air defence systems and a significant number of guided missiles for them to Kyiv. However, the minister emphasised that Germany cannot do more at this time, as any further transfer of equipment from existing stockpiles will not be possible to compensate for in the near future.

«Німеччина вже поставила кілька систем і чимало керованих ракет до них. Більшого ми зараз зробити не можемо. Все, що ми передамо зараз, ми поки не зможемо поповнити. Це створить у нас прогалини, які ми не можемо допустити» (Germany has already supplied several systems and a large number of guided missiles for them. We cannot do more at this time. Everything we transfer now, we will not be able to replenish for the time being. This will create gaps for us that we cannot afford), explained the head of the German Ministry of Defence.

Expectations from partners and future negotiations

Pistorius noted that other countries have done significantly less to support Ukraine than Germany has. In this regard, Berlin expects partners to increase their assistance to Ukraine. This issue is planned to be discussed at the next meeting of the Ukraine contact group, which will take place in mid-November.

Status of already agreed supplies

It is worth noting that the minister's statement relates exclusively to the impossibility of new transfers from existing German military stockpiles. It does not imply the cancellation of already agreed supplies. On 4 November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the signing of a contract for the purchase of German PAC-2 missiles for Patriot systems for the next two years. At the same time, the Ukrainian president demanded to accelerate these supplies.