Providing US Patriot missiles could transform Ukraine’s defences. But it’s a move with risks | Jack Watling

By providing key systems to defend against Russia, the west risks weakening its deterrence posture towards China

The Biden administration has crossed a new line in its support for Ukraine, by indicating its willingness to send Patriot air and missile defence systems to aid in the war against Russia. The system - which includes powerful missile interceptors and radar - is likely to prove highly effective for Ukraine, and marks a significant step forward in the scope and complexity of the US's support. But the gift of such prestige systems will present longer-term challenges for Nato.

Joe Biden previously ruled out sending Patriot systems to Ukraine. The shift in policy appears to have arisen from Russia's extensive targeting of Ukraine's civilian critical national infrastructure, which has left much of the country without power. Russia is now seeking to obtain Iranian ballistic missiles to bolster its own depleted stocks, and this, combined with ongoing domestic missile production, means these attacks may persist for a long time. Defending Ukraine from missile attacks is now a humanitarian priority.

Jack Watling is a senior research fellow for land warfare at the Royal United Services Institute