Germany said it is engaged in “intensive talks” with the United States to finance and procure additional Patriot air-defence systems for Ukraine, confirming earlier press reports. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius told reporters on Friday that Berlin is examining “various ways” to close Ukraine’s air-defence gap after Washington this week paused parts of its military assistance to Kyiv. Bild reported that Germany aims to buy two Patriot batteries and several hundred interceptor missiles from U.S. stockpiles, a proposal first submitted to U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth more than a month ago at Kyiv’s request. The Patriots would be paid for by Germany and then transferred to Ukraine once cleared by U.S. authorities. Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the plan with U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Thursday, according to Der Spiegel and other outlets. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is due in Washington in mid-July for further negotiations. Final approval from the Pentagon and the White House is still required. Germany has already supplied one Patriot battery to Kyiv and leads a European coalition seeking to bolster Ukraine’s air defences. Ukrainian forces currently operate only four Patriot batteries nationwide, a shortfall highlighted by a wave of Russian drone and missile attacks overnight that struck Kyiv and other cities.