On Monday, September 2, the upper chamber of the Romanian Parliament, the Senate, approved the government’s draft law to transfer the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system to Ukraine, with 101 votes in favor, 13 against, and 2 abstentions.
The President of the Senate Defense Committee, Nicoleta Pauliuc, expressed hope that the draft law will pass the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body, by the end of the week.
Following parliamentary approval, the Government will be able to issue the necessary decisions to make the donation operational.
The draft law allows the Romanian Government to take steps to restore the country’s ground-based air defense capabilities as part of the “High Range Surface-to-Air Missile System” essential endowment program. This includes awarding contracts to the US Government under the Foreign Military Sales Program for the acquisition of a Patriot surface-to-air missile system configuration 3+, which encompasses major equipment, transport means, maintenance materials, initial logistic support, training services, and cryptographic and special regime equipment, funded within the framework of this law and through non-refundable external funds.
The Ministry of National Defense is also authorized to secure the necessary funds to cover the fees and commissions associated with rebuilding the ground-based air defense capability. Lucian Romaşcanu, leader of the PSD group in the Senate, stated, “We are members of NATO and have a security guarantee.” He then added: “And in order to have peace here we must help those who fight a little further to win, it is about another security guarantee.”
Senator Nicoleta Pauliuc assured that the donation of the Patriot missile system “does not pose a problem of Romania being left without protection” since Romania possesses seven other such systems: two are operational with the required human resources, two are under the Romanian Army’s endowment, and three more are set to be integrated.
The Senate’s vote follows the government’s adoption of the draft law on the same day to be sent to Parliament.
Earlier, in June, the Supreme National Defense Council decided to send a Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. However, Romania has requested its allies, especially the US, to provide a “similar or equivalent system” in return.
