Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday he was open to discussing sending a Patriot missile system to Ukraine after Germany made appeals to European Union and NATO member to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.
Last month Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on EU governments to supply more defense systems to Kyiv to counteract the Russian invasion.
So far, Germany has pledged an additional Patriot battery, while Spain said it will deliver anti-aircraft Patriot missiles. Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Sweden also have Patriot systems.
„There has been a discussion about who can send Patriot systems to Ukraine over the last few weeks,” Iohannis told reporters in Washington after meeting U.S. President Joe Biden.
„President Biden mentioned it … in our meeting and I said I was open to discussion. I must discuss it in the Supreme Defense Council to see what we can offer and what we can get in return, because it is unacceptable to leave Romania without air defenses,” he added.
Romania signed a $4 billion deal to get Patriots in 2017, the NATO and EU state’s biggest procurement contract to date, with the first shipment delivered in 2020. Romania only has one battery in operation, but Iohannis said the discussions concerned another battery that is nearly operational.
On Tuesday, Iohannis also said he had discussed with Biden his bid for NATO’s top job. Iohannis stressed he was not withdrawing his candidacy despite strong support within the alliance for outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
„Competition is a good thing, two strong candidates because in that way more topics will be up for discussion,” he said.
Biden thanked Romania for its commitment to security in NATO’s east, including in the Black Sea region, and applauded its defense investments, which exceed NATO’s target of spending at least 2% of GDP, the White House said.
„The leaders reaffirmed their steadfast support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s senseless aggression, and President Biden expressed his appreciation for Romania’s support to Ukrainian refugees and efforts to move Ukrainian grain to market,” the White House said.
Romania joined NATO in 2004 and has a 630 km border with Ukraine. Russian drone fragments have fallen into its territory as Moscow attacks Ukrainian ports just across the Danube River from Romania.
