Several NATO states are failing to deliver on their military aid promises made to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, Sputnik reported.
Commitments made at the alliance’s July summit — including speedy delivery of US-made Patriot surface-to-air missile defense systems to the Kiev regime — are unlikely to be fulfilled by autumn, revealed sources quoted by the outlet.
The US, Germany and Romania each pledged to send a Patriot air defense system. The Netherlands and other nations would provide Patriot components to make up one complete battery, while Italy promised Ukraine a SAMP-T air defense system.
But the slow delivery rate prompted a disgruntled Volodymyr Zelensky to openly attack his NATO patrons on Sunday.
He named the US, UK and France as the main culprits, demanding “timely logistics for the announced aid packages.”
At the Washington summit in July, NATO countries denied Zelensky what he demanded – an invite to join the alliance, although they reaffirmed that Kiev’s path to membership was "irreversible." They did promise Ukraine a €40-billion ($43 billion) aid package for a further year.
Commitments to deliver US Patriot systems to Ukraine have been draining Western countries’ stocks, with the US looking to outsource production of the systems.
In July, Washington said it was providing Ukraine an older Patriot battery valued at $100 million in its latest security assistance package authorized through the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allows the Defense Department to donate to Ukraine from US military stockpiles without seeking Congressional approval.
In Germany, the second-largest supplier of military support to Ukraine in NATO after the US, a raging budget crisis has disrupted not only future aid, but the Defense Ministry’s schedule for weapons, equipment and ammunition already promised to Kiev, German media reported.
MNA/PR