Finland says support for Ukraine cannot come at expense of its own defenses
Finland cannot jeopardize its own air defense readiness by transferring weapons beyond what it can safely spare, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen said in an interview with Ilta-Sanomat while discussing Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles.
Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen has emphasized that Finland cannot compromise its own air defense readiness by transferring weapons that it cannot safely spare, particularly in the context of Ukraine's need for more Patriot interceptor missiles. While Finland does not operate Patriot systems, Häkkänen highlighted that the policies of European countries possessing these missiles regarding their stockpile levels are crucial.
He stressed that Finland has contributed significantly more than a country of its size could be expected to, but it cannot jeopardize its own air defense capabilities. Häkkänen also warned that the coming winter could be the most challenging Ukraine has faced during the conflict, citing Russia's potential strategy to paralyze the country's energy infrastructure.
European governments have been hesitant to transfer additional Patriot missiles to Ukraine due to fears of weakening their own defenses, a concern that has been raised by the U.S. administration in the past. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has since reported an agreement with the U.S. on monthly deliveries of Patriot missiles, although the volumes remain insufficient, and negotiations are ongoing with European partners, including Poland, Germany, and Scandinavian nations.
Brief written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's own syndicated text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
