EU countries must send anti-missile systems to Ukraine, Borrell says

CAPRI, Italy (Reuters) – European Union countries must send their anti-missile systems to bolster Ukraine’s air defences as Russia pounds its cities, the EU’s top diplomat said on Thursday, warning that Europe cannot just rely on the United States to help Kyiv.

More than two years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine is facing a shortage of ammunition, with vital funding from the U.S. blocked by Republicans in Congress for months and the EU failing to deliver sufficient munitions on time.

“We have Patriots, we have anti-missile systems. We have to take them (out) from our barracks where they are just in case and send them to Ukraine where the war is raging,” EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters at a meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers in the island of Capri.

“Otherwise the electricity system of Ukraine will be destroyed. And no country can fight without having electricity at home, in the factories, online, for everything,” he added.

Ukraine’s air defences is a key issue for ministers gathered in Italy, following a German appeal on Wednesday to the European Union and NATO to do more to help Kyiv.

“I’m sure we will be doing that, but we have to be done quickly,” Borrell said, adding he regretted “internal politics” in the U.S. was delaying a much needed aid package for Ukraine worth $60.84 billion.

“We cannot only rely on the U.S. We have to take our (own) responsibility and stop saying, ‘oh, the U.S. will do’,” he said.