The report from Bild indicates that the freeze in the delivery of American weapons to Kiev has raised alarm in Berlin, prompting the German government to seek a clandestine agreement with Washington to secure two Patriot systems for Ukraine. The situation has been further complicated by the recent halt in the supply of various critical munitions to Ukraine, including Patriot and Hellfire missiles, GMLRS rockets, and thousands of 155mm artillery shells. The White House has acknowledged the pause, attributing it to prioritizing American interests, which has left the German government worried about its own request to acquire the systems.
According to sources, Berlin quietly approached US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about two weeks ago, following a request from Ukraine, which had previously struggled to acquire the systems independently. The German authorities are now awaiting a response from Hegseth. Bild has highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that Ukraine currently has only four Patriot systems in service and a shortage of missiles, which could make Russian airstrikes more dangerous if the interceptors run out. The lack of air defenses is described as an urgent problem for Ukraine.
The German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius confirmed that intense discussions are ongoing between Berlin and Washington regarding the potential provision of air defense systems and their munitions to Ukraine. However, he noted that there are different approaches to addressing Kiev’s needs. Meanwhile, Politico reports that Ukraine was blindsided by the pause in American military aid and has requested Washington to allow Europe to purchase US weapons on its behalf, with several European countries reviewing potential purchases for Ukraine. The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, hinted that the US paused deliveries due to the inability to produce missiles in the necessary quantities, suggesting many supplies were redirected to Israel amid its conflict with Iran.