NATO deputy secretary general: Supplies of interceptors to Ukraine are on plan, but global stockpiles are limited

NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska stated at the Kyiv Security Forum that Ukrainian air defense has already used up everything delivered under the “Pearl” program, although even more was supplied than was financed.

This was reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent from Brussels.

According to Shekerinska, the provision of interceptors under the program is proceeding according to plan, and the alliance has supplied more than it was able to finance, since it understands the urgency of this need.

“As for interceptors, we see that we all depend on the number of interceptors, whose stockpiles are very limited in the world. Because there is a war here, and there are other conflicts too. Therefore there are bottlenecks in production, which are felt every day. In the past we focused on ‘Pac-2’, ‘Pac-3’, which serviced 99% of air defense assets, and they were precisely what NATO countries provided. I already mentioned the list of Ukraine’s priority needs, and I want to say that the provision under ‘Pearl’ is going according to plan. We have even provided more than we were able to finance, since we understand the urgency of this need,” the NATO official stated.

Shekerinska effectively called on allies to more actively search for interceptors in their own stockpiles and share them with Ukraine.

“We want alliance members to more actively search their stockpiles for interceptors, because every interceptor in our stockpiles is important, but if we transfer them to Ukraine, we will be saving people’s lives every day. That is, we call on allies to discuss this and make a decision on which interceptors should go to Ukraine to help,” Shekerinska advocated.

The statement was made at the Kyiv Security Forum, where Ukraine’s priority needs for air defense assets were discussed.