President Volodymyr Zelensky has used a speech at the NATO summit in Turkey to urge allies to deliver the air defence systems Kyiv urgently needs to protect it from escalating Russian attacks. “We are capable of doing everything else ourselves, but when it comes to air defence, we need our partners’ determination,” Zelensky said on Tuesday morning.
Deadly Russian Missile Strikes on Kyiv
Zelensky’s call for help rings with extra intensity after Russian missiles rained down on the Ukrainian capital twice in less than a week, crashing into blocks of flats and killing more than 50 civilians. The summit in Ankara will also be a chance for Zelensky to hold a crucial meeting with Donald Trump and press home his case that Russia’s “brutal” attacks are a show of weakness, not strength, and that Vladimir Putin should be pressured into talks towards a “dignified” peace.
Ukraine’s Long-Range Drone Attacks
The latest strikes on Ukraine come as it has been stepping up its own long-range drone attacks against Russia, hitting oil refineries and military targets there and causing significant fuel shortages and power cuts. Speaking before the summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged member states to “pull their weight” and ensure Ukraine gets what it needs “to defend its sovereignty.” He underlined that Kyiv was “changing the dynamic on the battlefield,” referring to efforts to stall Russian ground troops in the east.
Air Defence Challenges
Ukraine’s air force issues a daily tally of the weapons Moscow launches alongside the number intercepted. On Monday, almost all drones were blocked successfully but the failure rate for missiles was glaringly obvious. Ukraine did not stop a single ballistic missile in that attack. “It is simply absurd that, in today’s world, production has still not been scaled up to the level actually required to protect people from ballistic terror,” Zelensky said, venting his frustration in a video address on Monday.
Call for Patriot Missiles
Zelensky has been calling on European allies to hand over their own stockpiles of Patriot missiles, arguing that they’re no good to anyone in storage when civilians are being killed now in Ukraine. “Russia is placing its bets on ballistic weapons, and those who want peace must place their bets on protection against ballistic attacks,” Zelensky argued on Monday, setting out his case for meetings in Ankara. But Patriot systems are in short supply worldwide and it’s not clear how many would ever be enough if Russia were to escalate its ballistic attacks further. That’s why Zelensky also talks about Ukraine producing its own equivalent, with NATO help.
