Swiss Ministry of Defense announces delay in Patriot deliveries from the USA: reason named

The US Department of Defense informed Switzerland that deliveries of Patriot air defense systems will no longer go to Bern, but will be redirected to support Ukraine. This information was released by the Swiss Ministry of Defense.

Previously scheduled deliveries of five Patriot systems to Switzerland, which were supposed to begin in 2027 and end in 2028, will be received with a delay. It is currently unknown how this will affect the number of systems and the delivery of missiles for them.

Last year, the US already informed Switzerland about the delay in deliveries of the PAC-3 MSE guided missile version for Patriot, which the Swiss Parliament approved in 2023. At that time, the need to send these missiles to Ukraine was also cited as the reason for the reroute.

Ukraine will also benefit from military cooperation with the US. The country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, reported that the American leader, Donald Trump, expressed interest in buying Ukrainian combat drones and discussing the creation of a strategic 'air shield' over Ukraine.

The Swiss state has decided to abandon Patriot air defense systems in favor of Ukraine, as the US Department of Defense has redirected supplies to support Ukraine. This reflects a new collaboration between the countries in the field of defense, which has potentially significant implications for security in the region. In turn, Ukraine also receives support from the US, demonstrating the growing importance of the strategic partnership between the states.