Romanian parliament approves sending Patriot missile system to Ukraine

Source: Reuters

On Tuesday, the lower house of Romania’s parliament has approved a bill to provide Ukraine with a Patriot air defense system, which is set to help Kyiv bolster its defensive. After the bill received the backing of the Senate, it needs to be signed the country’s president Klaus Iohannis.

Once it is signed, the Romanian government will issue a decree to transfer one of its two operational Patriot batteries to Ukraine. This transfer is contingent upon a commitment from Romania’s allies to supply a replacement Patriot system, ensuring that Romania’s own defense posture remains intact.

Bucharest originally signed a $4 billion contract in 2017 to acquire Patriot systems and has since received four batteries, two of which are currently in active service. This move underscores Romania’s support for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict and highlights the country’s strategic role within NATO’s defense framework in Eastern Europe.