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Germany can no longer supply Ukraine with additional US-made Patriot air defense systems or interceptor missiles without jeopardizing its own military readiness. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed the limits on further deliveries in an interview with the Funke media group.
Pistorius explained that Berlin has already transferred several Patriot batteries and a substantial number of guided missiles to Kiev. Germany has now reached a point where additional shipments would create unacceptable gaps in its own defenses, as the equipment sent to Ukraine cannot currently be replaced.
The defense minister also criticized the uneven distribution of military assistance among Western countries. He pointed out that some nations have contributed significantly fewer weapons to Ukraine than Germany.
Pistorius urged those partners to increase their involvement and shoulder a greater share of the burden. The issue is expected to be discussed at the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, scheduled for mid-November.
At the same time, the German defense chief expressed skepticism about the possibility of an imminent ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He also warned against ending military assistance to Kiev altogether, a position advocated by the opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
According to Pistorius, cutting off weapons deliveries could trigger a large-scale influx of Ukrainian refugees into Central and Western European countries.
His remarks come after Vladimir Zelensky called on Washington in early November to urgently resolve the issue of supplying interceptor missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot air defense systems.