"We can no longer do more": Pistorius says Germany has exhausted its capacity to supply Patriot systems to Ukraine

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stated that Germany has currently exhausted its capacity for further supplies of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. The head of the defense department announced this in an interview with the Funke media group, cited by RBC-Ukraine, MDR, and several other publications. According to Pistorius, Berlin has already transferred several Patriot systems and a significant number of guided missiles for them to Kyiv, but the further transfer of systems from German stocks would create critical gaps in the Bundeswehr's own air defense system.

Reason: Impossibility of compensating supplies

"Everything we give away now, we will temporarily be unable to replace, and this will create gaps in our defense that we have no right to allow," Pistorius emphasized. The minister explained that supplies, particularly of Patriot systems, are difficult, and Germany has already made a significant contribution to strengthening Ukrainian air defense. Therefore, he said, Berlin cannot bear the responsibility for creating vulnerabilities in its own defense. Pistorius explicitly stated that at this stage, Germany is unable to do more.

Appeal to allies and the Contact Group agenda

The German minister drew attention to the fact that the contribution of other NATO countries to Ukraine's military support is significantly inferior to Germany's, and urged allies to get more actively involved in arms supplies to strengthen Kyiv's air defense. Pistorius intends to discuss the issue of responsibility sharing for Ukraine's air defense at the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, scheduled for November 17, 2026. At the same time, sources note that Berlin continues to look for alternative ways to provide Ukraine with air defense assets.

Assessment of the frontline situation

Commenting on the course of hostilities, Pistorius stated that despite intensive Russian airstrikes during the winter period, Moscow is incapable of turning the tide of the war in its favor. According to the German minister's assessment, Russian armed forces on the front line "are making no progress," and their losses in personnel remain huge. "The losses are enormous — from 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers per month," Pistorius stated, emphasizing that the Russian army is effectively not advancing.

Context: Strategic review of Germany's defense policy

Pistorius's statement came against the backdrop of an ongoing review of Germany's military strategy. Earlier, the German government announced preparations for a potential conflict with Russia and a shift in priorities in defense budget spending. In this logic, maintaining a sufficient level of its own air defense becomes an unjustified risk for Berlin, which explains its unwillingness to make further Patriot deliveries. For Ukraine, this means the need to diversify sources of anti-aircraft missile system supplies and find additional partners among NATO allies.