It has recently become known that Spain will transfer only five PAC-2 surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine in the coming days, in a context marked by exhausted stockpiles and growing international pressure to sustain Kyiv’s air defense. The shipment forms part of Spain’s effort to reinforce Ukraine’s interception capability while a high global demand for Patriot systems persists, driven by threats originating from Iran and by the operational requirements stemming from the ongoing conflict.
According to reports in local Spanish media, the Patriot PAC-2 missiles, valued at between 3 and 4 million dollars each, come from the anti-aircraft artillery units of the Spanish Army and will be transferred despite delays in the arrival of new Patriot batteries purchased by Madrid, whose delivery has been rescheduled to 2031 due to production limitations. This shortage has affected Spanish availability, as the country had already carried out previous deliveries of interceptors in 2024 in coordination with allies from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The transfer is part of a broader framework of military assistance that Spain has maintained with Ukraine since February 2022. At a meeting held on March 18 at La Moncloa, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, a new commitment of 1 billion euros in additional funding for 2026. During the conference, Sánchez stated: “You can count on Spain’s support,” highlighting the continuity of bilateral defense cooperation.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Spain’s contribution has amounted to just under 4 billion euros in different arms packages and technical assistance, a significant figure although smaller than that provided by other European nations according to data from the Kiel Institute’s Ukraine Support Tracker. Part of these resources will be channeled through the new European financial instrument Security Action for Europe (SAFE), which will make available up to 150 billion euros in long-term loans to strengthen the continent’s defense industrial base.
Zelensky stressed that Spain is among the first European countries to use SAFE to support Kyiv’s military actions and underlined the importance of releasing frozen Russian assets in order to finance the production of more defensive materiel. The Ukrainian leader also pointed to the need for Ukraine to reduce its dependence on the U.S.-made Patriot system (Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target), in a context where the availability of interceptors is becoming increasingly limited.
Spain’s situation finds a parallel in Germany, where Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that his country is willing to deliver five PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine, on the condition that other NATO members complete a joint package of 30 interceptors. Pistorius stated: “Germany is going to deliver five additional interceptor missiles, known as PAC-3, to Ukraine, if other countries choose to donate a total of 30 PAC-3s. We all know that this is about saving lives; it is a matter of days, not weeks or months.” The official added that he remains “highly optimistic” about reaching such an agreement.
These statements come as Germany acknowledges that its inventory of Patriot systems has decreased by approximately one third since the start of the war, reducing its room for further donations. Reports from Kyiv indicate that Berlin has already transferred five complete systems and expects to receive new units from the United States in order to rebuild its own air defense. The situation shared by Spain and Germany highlights the material limitations faced by Ukraine’s European allies in sustaining the continuous provision of high-demand systems such as the Patriot.
Images for illustrative purposes.
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