Signal No. 169 · Kyiv seeks 300 Patriot rounds, Sofia NATO aircraft

Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the European Council on Friday that the war will cost EUR 155 billion next year and that "we need at least 70 billion euro more from you – for defence, for weapons, and for our resilience". He asked for a winter package of PAC-2 and PAC-3 rounds, "300 Patriot interceptors specifically against ballistic missiles" among them. On the immobilised Russian assets, most of which "are in European hands", he proposed "something like a special EU-controlled custodian" against the risk of their being unfrozen.

António Costa, the European Council's president, said at the closing press conference that the leaders asked the Commission "to come forward with" a proposal "to address Ukraine's additional financing needs for 2027". Ursula von der Leyen: "Now it is clear that we have a gap of 70 billion that has to be covered." The Union and its member states "account for 80% of external aid to Ukraine", she said, "but we urgently need also other partners to step in". A further EUR 17 billion of the existing loan could be paid by year-end if reforms are done.

The conclusions on Ukraine had not been published when this edition closed.

At his press conference Zelenskyy said "we are not the top priority when it comes to the allocation of PAC-2 and PAC-3", most of which "have been allocated to the Middle East for quite some time now". Kyiv is working with partners to secure "two, five, 10 – whatever we can agree on". At the same press conference: "Are there enough PAC-2 and PAC-3 systems in Europe for Ukraine to get through the winter? Yes." On the US–Russia diesel arrangement, under which Washington eased sanctions for Russian diesel released to world markets: "if there is no energy ceasefire, give us anti-ballistic missiles so that I can protect my energy facilities". CNN reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the situation, that Ukraine has run out of Patriot interceptors: "almost all the ballistic missiles from the last strike were not intercepted due to lack of the missiles". The Air Force had said four were intercepted. Two European officials told CNN that Washington had warned Kyiv and European allies it could suspend European PURL purchases of US weapons, and intelligence sharing, if the deep strikes on Russian energy continue.

Dimitar Stoyanov, Bulgaria's defence minister, said Friday that Sofia has "sent letters and a request to the NATO Secretary General and the Supreme Allied Commander", "urging them to strengthen our capabilities, which also means deploying additional forces on our territory". Reuters reported the request as combat aircraft and anti-drone systems. To the state agency BTA he described it as "the full range of capabilities available – anti-drone systems and patrol aircraft".

Off Sulina, Romania resumed the search on Friday for the Wine Trader's seven missing crew. An interior ministry spokesperson told Reuters that "our colleagues returned today to search the ship" in strong wind. Reuters counts at least five other cargo ships hit near Romania and Bulgaria in ten days, with 23 sailors dead or missing.

Zelenskyy told his Brussels press conference that Starshield service to Ukraine's military terminals in motion has improved but is not fully restored, a day after a Ukrainian defence-ministry source said it was back. This week's cap cut speed rather than service: "That's why they didn't shut down Starlink, but reduced its speed". Ukraine "was unable to shoot down a certain number of jet Shaheds", which fly at over 400 kilometres an hour, because of the speed limit on the interceptor drones' terminals. Ukraine is "not talking about replacing Starlink"; it is "working with some countries, including France, to secure additional capabilities". Donald Trump said on Friday that neither he nor Elon Musk was responsible for Ukraine losing access and that the United States had not imposed the limit; Musk had said this week that the limits were Washington's.

Kaja Kallas, arriving at the summit: "Starlink is really necessary for Ukraine and unfortunately in the short term Europe can't replace this capability". The Commission said on Wednesday that it is negotiating Ukraine's full association to GOVSATCOM, the Union's governmental satellite-communications service launched in January. Commercial services are to be added to it in early 2027 and IRIS² is to be fully operational in 2029; the Commission is not comparing the European systems with Starlink or Starshield and cannot say they would replace them. Kyiv said it had no early warning from partners before the 13 October ballistic strike on the CHP-4 plant. Macron, after the summit: Europe is "working hard to help Ukraine strengthen its ability to defend itself", including "satellite imagery and early-warning systems, which are much needed".

Vladimir Putin's Decree No. 738, signed and published on Thursday, adds the Russian units of four European companies and a US-owned packaging plant to the temporary-administration list. They are Tarkett, the French flooring maker, the German packaging maker Menshen, Kappa Rus of Sweden's Sverige International Holdings, Belgium's Ontex and the Eviosys packaging plant held by Sonoco's Dutch unit. All go to one manager, Tsentr Kapital, a company registered in February whose owner is a former regional official who says he served in the war. Tarkett said it is "losing effective control over its operations in Russia"; Ontex, with 350 staff in Russia, will "consider appropriate actions to safeguard its assets".

The Kremlin called the measures reversible and a response to EU states' involvement in "direct battlefield hostilities"; Dmitry Peskov, its spokesman, said the companies' countries were involved in "illegal expropriations of Russian property".

The Council renewed EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, the EU's naval operation in the central Mediterranean, until 31 March 2029. It added three tasks: "contributing to efforts to constrain the Russian shadow fleet", maritime domain awareness for the EU and its member states, and "supporting the protection of critical maritime infrastructure". The date of the decision was not given.

The Bundestag gave a first reading on Thursday to the government's Reservestärkungsgesetz, the reserve-strengthening bill (21/8407). Until now only exercises could be ordered outside a state of tension or defence; other reserve service becomes compulsory to a limited extent, with its maximum length tied to prior service. Some upper age limits rise and reservists may be called at short notice; those who completed only basic service before 30 June 2011 still serve only with their consent.

The bill costs about EUR 43.1 million a year from 2027. The Bundesrat wants police, fire and prison officers exempted and security authorities' consent required; the government rejects a general consent requirement.

The National Army's air-operations centre recorded five crossings of Moldovan airspace between 23:02 on Thursday and 06:10 on Friday, entering from Ukraine's Odesa region and from the Mohyliv-Podilskyi direction for one to eighteen minutes each, the last leaving through Transnistria. The defence ministry says one aircraft "fell and exploded" in a field outside Codrenii Noi, in Dondușeni district. It counts seven airspace violations between 10 and 16 October.