European Union defence and space commissioner Andrius Kubilius on Friday said the United States is not in a position to provide enough missiles to defend both Gulf countries and Ukraine as the conflict in West Asia expands and strains global military supplies.
Speaking in Warsaw, Kubilius said the crisis triggered by the war involving Iran, the US and Israel has made it urgent for Europe to boost production of air defence systems.
“It’s very clear that after the Iranian crisis … it became more urgent for us in Europe to ramp up production of air defence and anti-ballistic missiles," Kubilius said.
He warned that American supplies alone would not be enough to meet the growing demand. “Americans really will not be able to provide enough of those missiles, both for the Gulf countries, for American army itself, and also for Ukrainian needs," he said.
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Kubilius said Europe faces a “huge challenge" in expanding anti-missile defence production, particularly as Ukraine’s requirements remain extremely high. He noted that for the winter season alone, Ukraine needs about 700 Patriot PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles — roughly equal to what US manufacturers can produce in a year.
The comments come as the wider regional war has disrupted energy supplies and infrastructure, including a total blackout reported across Iraq as instability spreads across the region.
The conflict has drawn in global powers, shaken energy markets and disrupted transport routes, creating turbulence even in areas that had remained relatively stable in the past.
Kubilius made the remarks at a joint press conference with Polish defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, warning that Europe must urgently increase its missile production capacity.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said the US has asked Kyiv for assistance in countering Iranian drone attacks in the Middle East.
Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News
