President Joe Biden of the United States has hailed Slovakia for delivering its Soviet-era S-300 air-defense system to Ukraine, saying it will be replaced with a Patriot Air-Defense System developed in the United States.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine has stressed the necessity for such equipment to be transferred to Ukraine, according to Biden.
On April 8, he said in a statement “to enable this transfer and ensure the continued security of Slovakia, the United States will reposition a U.S. Patriot missile system to Slovakia.”
While the Russian military “may have failed in its objective of capturing Kyiv,” Biden added, it continues to perpetrate “horrific acts of brutality” against the Ukrainian people.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister, Eduard Heger, had stated that the country will deliver its Soviet-era S-300 air-defense system to Ukraine.
Heger made the announcement during a visit to Kyiv with top EU officials in preparation for a meeting with Zelenskiy.
When Zelenskiy talked to US legislators via video last month, he specifically referenced S-300s, pleading for defense weapons that would allow Ukraine to “shut the skies” to Russian jets and missiles.
The S-300s, which can shoot missiles hundreds of kilometres and wipe out cruise missiles as well as bombers, are owned by NATO members Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Greece.
United States Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, said in the statement, “I salute the generosity of the Slovak government in providing an S-300 air-defense system… a critical defensive capability… to Ukraine.”
“It’s a strong testament to how determined Ukraine’s neighbors are to help the Ukrainians defend themselves against Russia’s unprovoked invasion of their homeland.”
Lloyd Austin described the measure as “aligns perfectly” with prior efforts to strengthen NATO’s military strength.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
