Finland refuses to transfer Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine

Finland will not transfer interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine.

This was stated by Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen in an interview with the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.

According to the minister, such a transfer could jeopardize the combat readiness of Finland’s air defense system.

“We have already done everything possible to help Ukraine, and even more than we had planned, but as a frontline country we cannot jeopardize our continued combat readiness in the area of air defense,” Häkkänen said.

At the same time, the minister noted that Finland has certain capabilities to supply some surface-to-air missiles, but declined to reveal details of potential military aid to Ukraine.

In addition, Häkkänen identified the insufficient pace of production by the American defense industry as one of the key problems for European security. According to him, the Pentagon needs to take decisive steps to reduce bureaucratic obstacles and accelerate the output of military products.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky reproached Western partners for failing to shoot down ballistic missiles launched by Russia over Ukraine. Western media have also reported that European Union countries are broadly refusing to transfer Patriot missiles to Ukraine, fearing the depletion of their own stockpiles.