The Biden administration will rush advanced air defense missiles to Ukraine by delaying shipments of certain weapons to other countries, a move a White House spokesman said Thursday was a “difficult but necessary step” given Russia’s progress in the war.
Spokesman John F. Kirby said Ukraine urgently needs the Patriot interceptor missiles because Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure. He did not name any other countries that would be affected, but said the decision did not apply to arms shipments to Israel or Taiwan.
“The overall message to Russia is clear,” Kirby told reporters. “If Russia thinks it can outlast Ukraine, and outlasts us in helping Ukraine, then they’re dead wrong.”
The war between Russia and Ukraine is in its third year with no clear path to military victory as the two sides fight a war of attrition, firing thousands of artillery shells, missiles and rockets every day.
The Patriot missiles will be crucial as Ukraine seeks to shore up its air defenses, particularly its power grid and other infrastructure that Russia continues to attack. The weapons are the most advanced Western air defense systems provided to Ukraine so far, and can shoot down Russian ballistic missiles and fighter jets from distances of about 40 and 70 miles, respectively.
About a half-dozen countries in the Middle East and Europe are buying Patriot missiles from the United States, said Tom Karako, director of the missile defense project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
The White House announcement is a reminder of the extraordinary demand for air defense capabilities and production, Karako said. “Borrowing from Peter and paying Paul is never a fun option,” Karako added.
Kirby said the shipment to Ukraine would be “in the hundreds” and would occur in the coming weeks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has made clear his country is in “desperate” need for more air defense systems, he said.
The White House decision will also accelerate deliveries of missiles to Ukraine for use in the U.S.-Norwegian developed National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), which, while not as capable as the Patriot, has been used extensively to defend key infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, and whose munitions are far more plentiful in NATO allies’ stockpiles.
Kirby said the length of delays to other countries would depend on each company’s contract, and that the US has notified its allies of the delays, with many of them “fully supporting” the move.
“If any other partner nation were to find itself in a similar situation to Ukraine, we would go to extraordinary lengths to keep them safe,” Kirby said. “This decision demonstrates our commitment to supporting our partners when they face existential threat.”
The announcement comes as the Biden administration has stepped up efforts in recent weeks to blunt Russia’s military buildup.
Russian President Vladimir V. Putin visited North Korea on Wednesday and agreed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that if either country were to fall into a state of war, the other would provide “military and other assistance without delay and by all means,” according to the agreement.
Kirby said the deal was a sign of Russia’s desperation to turn to marginalized countries for weapons to continue its war in Ukraine.
“Russia doesn’t have many friends in the world, and they are trying to do everything they can to pull the strings of the ones they do have,” he said. “Russia is totally isolated on the world stage and is once again having to turn to countries like North Korea and Iran.”
