The operational PATRIOT system in Romania is indispensable, and the discussion regarding the transfer of such a battery to Ukraine will be analyzed in the Supreme Council of Defense of the Country (CSAT), said the Romanian Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr.
“No one said that we have to give it (a PATRIOT System battery – n.r.). They are requested equipment, taking into account the situation there. We have one such equipment functional and three that are in the process of becoming functional. Until then, our need is satisfied for the time being by this equipment. We are going to have other discussions”, said the minister in Brasov today, as quoted by TVR.
He explained that, at this moment, there are four PATRIOT systems in our country, one of which is operational and the rest are in the process of being operationalized. Three more such systems are to be received by the Romanian state.
“We took them precisely for Romania’s need to defend its national territory. So they are relevant, and from this point of view, this operational system is indispensable”, pointed out Tîlvăr.
According to the minister, the discussions regarding the transfer to Ukraine of such an anti-aircraft defense system will be held at the level of the CSAT.
“We, at the National Defense level, have made assessments related to this.(…)It is not a question of harming national security, it is a question of defending the national territory, obviously, in agreement with our allies, because Romania does part of an alliance that honors us and that generates security guarantees”, the Minister of Defense also pointed out.
A day ago, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had also stated that the Minister of Defense, Angel Tîlvăr, has great reservations about Romania giving Ukraine a Patriot defense system, adding that had also discussed this issue with President Klaus Iohannis, but that the decision will be taken in the Supreme Council of Defense of the Country (CSAT).
This should not even be a point of discussion. No, we gave enough!