Romania is considering equipping Ukraine with advanced Patriot defense systems to counter Russian attacks. However, President Klaus Iohannis clarified that such a decision would require an approval from an autonomous administrative authority responsible for coordinating national defense and security activities, the Supreme Council of National Defense (SCND).
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stressed the importance of involving specialists and making the decision through proper institutional channels, as it impacts Romania's defense and relations with NATO allies.
"In the first place, the specialists must speak," Ciolacu said in an interview with Euronews, "This does not mean that if a system covers part of Ukraine, it does not also cover Romania. Here it is about specialists sitting at the table and finding the best solutions, and then the SCND can make the decision with all available information, so that it takes the best decision. So, at this moment, the proposal is under analysis."
Romania signed a deal in 2017 to purchase seven Patriot air defense systems from the United States, valued at $3.9 billion. As of 2024, only one of these systems is operational in Romania.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has urgently requested 25 Patriot air defense systems to defend against intensifying Russian aerial attacks, including ballistic missiles and Iranian-made drones targeting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
All the international partners are aware of Ukraine's need for air defense systems, Zelensky said, adding that some of the allies even know where systems must be set. Zelensky said the Patriot's analogs could also be efficient against Russian strikes.
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