US announces Patriot air defense missile support to Ukraine this week
The US has agreed to send a Patriot defense missile system to Ukraine capable of intercepting Russian aircraft and missiles.
CNN reported on the 13th (local time), citing a US government official, that plans to send Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine will be announced as early as this week.
Ukraine has recently asked the United States to provide advanced long-range air defense systems after Russian missile and drone strikes destroyed critical infrastructure. 스포츠토토 The Patriot Defense Missile System includes a set of radars to detect and track targets, a computer, power generation equipment, an engagement control station, and up to eight launchers each carrying four missiles. Until now, the United States has supported Ukraine with its
state-of-the-art surface-to-air missile system, NASAMS , which consists of three-dimensional surveillance radars, medium and short-range missiles, and launchers.
However, it is known that the United States has been considering support for the Patriot system as long-range air defense capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles are required.
U.S. officials explained that the Patriot system would be the most effective long-range defense weapon to be provided to Ukraine, and that it would also help secure the airspace of NATO countries in Eastern Europe.
CNN said it was not yet clear how many Patriot batteries would be sent to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the European Union (EU ) member states failed to reach an agreement again as they failed to resolve differences over the standard for applying the price cap to prevent a surge in natural gas prices. At a press conference following the EU Energy Council meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on the same day, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, the rotating EU presidency, Josef Sikela said member states were “close to reaching” an agreement on the gas price cap, but at the price level that will be the basis for triggering the cap. He said that there was a difference of opinion. He specifically said that energy ministers plan to meet again on the 19th , saying, “There is only one issue left to discuss on Monday (the 19th ), which is the price ceiling to trigger the (price stabilization) mechanism.”