More Patriots, But When? – Ukraine Latest, April 15

Kyiv signed multiple major defense deals ahead of today’s Ramstein meeting – including the “biggest-ever” drone package from the UK with 120,000 drones, a new cooperation with Norway to set up shop there with technology transfers, and a $4.7 billion deal with Germany on Tuesday for “hundreds” of Patriot missiles.

But with Patriot missiles in severe shortage, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the 2027-29 delivery timeline mentioned by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov at Ramstein does not inspire much confidence.

Future deliveries from the US via the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative also remain unclear – a concern compounded by Vice President JD Vance boasting about cutting Ukraine aid as a “key achievement.”

Some positive political signals for Kyiv

There are some positive developments for Kyiv internationally. Italy has renewed its call for Article 5-style guarantees for Ukraine, while the US is likely to extend oil sanctions on Russia, alongside further signals of renewed US-Iran talks – that might bring the attention back to Ukraine if it’s over.

Kyiv also just ran its first-ever bomb and missile attack with NATO weapons, which is an exciting step forward.

But at the same time, there are also signs that Russia and Iran are getting support from abroad – the US said Cuba might be supplying troops to Russia, while Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin may visit China in May after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Beijing leader Xi Jinping, as Iran is also reportedly using Chinese satellites to track US troops.

Other Topics of Interest

Russian Drone Strike in Chernihiv Injures 8, Damages 37 Cars

Russian forces attacked Chernihiv with drones on Friday June 5, striking a private enterprise in the city’s north and a parking lot in the west. Local officials said eight people were injured, while 37 vehicles were damaged in the strike and resulting fire. Emergency services worked at both impact sites.

Zelensky also said there is no set date for the expected US envoy visit to Kyiv – though he argued that it would be only fair for them to see Kyiv after multiple trips to Moscow.

On the business front, Biopharma is set to open one of Europe’s largest Plasma facilities in western Ukraine’s Uzhhorod, while Kernel, Ukraine’s largest agroholding, is working on providing ground data to NASA Harvest to refine satellite models for crop analysis and soil management.

Meanwhile, the IMF is not optimistic about the global economy amid the Iran war, with outlooks ranging from “difficult” to “adverse” and “severe,” according to our journalist who attended the IMF briefing.

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