The European Commission approved Ukraine's request to finance Patriot interceptor missiles through European funds, including purchases from suppliers outside the European bloc. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced through social media that the next disbursement will be 3.2 billion euros, a value that adds to the 8.4 billion already disbursed under the Ukraine Support Loan for air defense. European loans are normally conditional on purchasing equipment in Europe, but exceptions are provided when they are not available in the bloc in a timely manner.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcomed the agreement reached by the member states, noting that in recent years NATO Allies have channeled more than 10 billion dollars to Ukraine through the PURL and US Foreign Military Sales. Rutte stated that NATO and the EU will continue to work hand in hand in supporting Ukraine, considering this agreement another example of European commitment.
Ukraine submitted the request on September 3, requesting more than 2 billion euros for the American interception systems. The agreement was expected on September 11, the date when the EU first met the European and Ukrainian drone industry in Brussels to define the timeline for developing drones and counter-drone systems.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed the country's difficulties in intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 31 of the 32 cruise missiles launched by Russia were intercepted, but stopped disclosing the number of missiles launched by Moscow in August due to the drastic drop in interception rates. Zelensky announced new meetings starting Tuesday with representatives of countries and companies that can supply PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems.
