Kyiv Post
WASHINGTON DC – President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Saturday the operational status of a US-made Patriot air-defense system that originated in Israel – a transfer that was carefully orchestrated by Washington to circumvent political sensitivities in Jerusalem.
“The Israeli system has been operating in Ukraine for a month,” Zelensky told reporters. “We will receive [another] two Patriot systems in the fall, that’s all I’m going to say.”
The deployment confirmed an intricate plan, first reported by US media in May, that involved Washington requesting that Israel return an older Patriot system for refurbishment before it was routed to Kyiv.
The diplomatic maneuvering was necessary because Israel has historically resisted providing weapons to Ukraine, seeking to preserve complex relations with Moscow.
