Al Arabiya reported on May 1 that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he had encouraged partner countries that possess Patriot missile systems to send this type of air defense weapon to Ukraine, amid Kiev's calls for additional air defense capabilities.
Speaking at a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, Secretary Austin noted that he had spoken with leaders of several countries on the issue, but did not name them specifically.
Several European Union (EU) countries possess Patriot air defense missile systems, including Spain, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.
In a message to NATO members in early April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that his country needs at least seven more Patriot systems or other advanced air defense systems, and called on countries to increase military support for Kiev.
Earlier, speaking at a press conference during NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's visit to Kiev, President Zelensky said Ukraine was confident in the speedy delivery of weapons from the US, pointing to the tense fighting in the East and Northeast. Meanwhile, Washington said supplies were starting to arrive in Ukraine, after months of delays due to disputes in the US Congress .
Also at the press conference, Mr. Zelensky said he and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed preparations for this year's NATO summit in Washington, USA.
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