The US is halting deliveries of key air defense missiles to allies and sending the shipments to Ukraine in an effort to help fortify the country amid an ongoing aerial barrage from Russia, the White House said.
Raytheon’s Patriot and NASAMS surface-to-air missiles will both be diverted to Ukraine as part of a “difficult but necessary decision” to reprioritize planned deliveries, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Thursday to reporters.
The move comes as some European countries, including Spain and Greece, have so far refused to transfer their systems to Ukraine. But Kiev has described air defense systems – particularly the advanced Patriots – as crucial to protecting population centers and critical infrastructure, including the country’s battered power grid.
