Ukraine almost out of Patriot missiles

Ukraine has “only a handful” of missiles left for its Patriot systems, and Ukraine’s European partners doubt that the PURL program will continue.

The Washington Post reports this, citing sources.

The White House had previously called on European countries to transfer their own Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Some partners refused due to concerns about their own defense capabilities.

The Washington Post notes that the administration of US President Donald Trump has not redirected the weapons promised to Ukraine since the start of the war in Iran. The delays are linked to the depletion of US stocks of precision-guided munitions due to combat operations.

Why Europe is skeptical about PURL?

According to the publication, in recent months, some European countries have become more skeptical of the PURL program. Some capitals are hesitating over whether to approve new deliveries.

“Europeans are hesitating because there’s growing mistrust and lack of certainty on what will happen with money. There have been contributions [to PURL] but not too many,” the newspaper quotes one of its sources as saying.

What else has affected confidence in the program?

Additional doubts about the PURL arose due to speculation that the Pentagon might have used funds intended for Ukraine to replenish US military stockpiles.

As a reminder, following the results of a new Ramstein format meeting in April of this year, five partners confirmed the decision on new contributions to the PURL (Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List) program, under which partner countries purchase weapons from the US for the needs of the Ukrainian army.

At the same time, Ukraine may face a shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems amid the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.