The USA is to prioritise sending air defence missiles to Ukraine, announces the White House. Ukraine is to receive deliveries before other countries that have placed orders – among them Sweden.
The US government has taken the difficult but necessary decision to reprioritise planned deliveries in the short term . . . of specifically Patriot and Nasams missiles, so that they go to Ukraine instead, says John Kirby, spokesperson for the US National Security Council.
The deliveries to Taiwan and Israel will not be affected by the decision, announces Kirby.
Sweden positive despite wait
However, this means that the delivery time for ammunition to Sweden will change, announces Defence Minister Pål Jonson and Foreign Minister Tobias Billström in a statement to TT.
"Sweden has a dialogue with the USA about how this affects the implementation of the Swedish air defence system 103 Patriot", write the two ministers, who simultaneously express themselves positively about the American decision.
"Russia's goal with the war is to violently overthrow the European security order. Ukraine is therefore defending Sweden's security and freedom as well. The American decision is necessary for Ukraine to be able to continue defending its country and demonstrates our determination to continue supporting Ukraine as long as it is needed", it further states.
Great need in Ukraine
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky expresses gratitude towards the USA and the American President Joe Biden in a post on X.
In April, Biden signed a bill to send a support package of nearly 61 billion dollars to Ukraine, something Kiev has been waiting for since autumn.
Ukraine has for a long time during the war said that the country has a great need for, among other things, the Patriot air defence system.
