Headline Roundup • December 14th, 2022
US Reportedly Plans to Send Patriot Missiles to Ukraine
Foreign Policy,Ukraine War,Defense And Security,Russia,Missiles,US Military,Defense Department,Lloyd Austin,Volodymyr Zelensky
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The U.S. is finalizing plans to send Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, multiple outlets reported Tuesday.
For Context: The Patriot is one of the U.S. military’s most advanced surface-to-air missile systems — capable of stopping ballistic missiles and drone attacks like the ones carried out by Russia in Kyiv on Wednesday. News of the Biden administration’s plans came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for “an immediate focus on providing Ukraine with air defense systems and capabilities” at a virtual G7 meeting on Monday. However, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reportedly has not given final approval for the move.
Which Outlets Confirmed It? Several articles said CNN (Left bias) and Reuters (Center bias) broke the story on Tuesday, citing anonymous defense officials. The Kyiv Independent (Center bias) highlighted that Voice of America (Center bias) confirmed the story on Tuesday. Fox News (Right bias) also confirmed the story in an article published Wednesday morning.
How the Media Covered It: Coverage was widespread and mostly balanced across the spectrum. However, some coverage was skeptical of the plan; one opinion headline in Forbes (Center bias) asked why Ukraine would want missiles that “could not protect Saudi Arabia against drones?”
Featured Coverage of this Story
Vincent Laforet for The New York Times
The United States is poised to approve sending its most advanced ground-based air defense system to Ukraine, responding to the country’s urgent request to help defend against an onslaught of Russian missile and drone attacks, two U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III could approve a directive as early as this week to transfer one Patriot battery already overseas to Ukraine, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Final approval would then rest with President Biden.
White House, Pentagon and...
IDF via Getty Images
U.S. plans to send Ukraine the Patriot missile defense system are underway, Fox News confirmed Tuesday, though Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has not formally signed off on the transfer.
The news comes following weeks of speculation that Kyiv may receive the top weaponry after a senior defense official in November said Washington was considering sending Ukraine the system.
Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Tuesday there were no specific plans to send the system, but noted that the U.S. was not ruling it out.
AP
The United States is preparing to send the Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine to shoot down incoming Russian missiles, a decision that could be announced as soon as this week, a U.S. defense official and a second U.S. official told VOA on Tuesday.
Both officials spoke on condition that they not be identified because the decision has not yet been formally announced. The decision was first reported by CNN.
Ukraine has asked its Western partners for air defenses, including the U.S.-made Patriot system, as Russia has used its missile...
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