Ukraine will ask for urgent air defense support at Ramstein – FT
Ukraine will ask Western allies for an urgent supply of anti-aircraft missile systems at the Ramstein-format meeting on Friday, April 21, fearing that their acute shortage may allow the Russian Federation to begin large-scale bombing.
Financial Times (FT) reports, citing three informed officials, that Kyiv will press the allies to replenish the dwindling ammunition reserves for the air defense systems at the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein), the US-led format that gathered Western partners to discuss and make decisions on military aid supply.
Western capitals fear a long-planned counteroffensive against the occupying Russian forces may fail without adequate air defenses.
The FT reports that Western intelligence shared among NATO allies earlier this year warned that Russia was assembling fighter jets and attack helicopters close to the front line in Ukraine. That initiated an immediate wave of air defense aid announcements, including the latest $2 billion support package the US announced in late February.
Officials told the FT that Kyiv needs more missiles capable of shooting down fighter jets, which are used in large numbers to counter Russian drones and missiles. A warning about systematically depleting stockpiles because of Russian missile and drone attacks was backed up by US intelligence documents leaked online this spring. The leaked information suggests Ukraine might run out of ammunition for five critical air defense systems.
"Short-range air defense has been a topic that has been raised increasingly by the Ukrainians," said one European official. "If they use them all up, it opens the space up for air forces."
"If Russia can get in with dumb bombers, Ukraine will be in trouble," the officials added, referring to unguided munitions dropped from planes. "It's looking grim."
Previous meetings have focused on Ukraine's needs for Western battle tanks, fighter jets, and — most recently — artillery munitions, but officials said the most pressing need is air defense.
"[Air defense supplies] is a problem which is constantly raised by Ukraine," said a second European official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue. "The delivery of [MiG] fighters is aimed at preparing it for air fighting . . . against Russian sorties."
Military experts say that significant air cover is critical to any successful ground offensive, given the danger Russian jets and bombers pose to any massed Ukrainian forces trying to break through the front line.
The US was the first to announce the transfer of the Patriot system to Ukraine in December 2022 as part of the next military aid package. The Netherlands will also supply Patriot air defense systems and several missiles to Ukraine.
