Zelensky presses NATO for promised air defense missiles
As the war in Ukraine enters a critical phase, President Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed his appeal to Western allies for air defense systems, particularly US-made Patriot missiles, amid intensified Russian ballistic missile strikes.
Speaking in a video address, Zelensky said Ukraine had reached agreements with several countries and transferred funds, but deliveries were falling short. He specifically cited an agreement with Norway to pay for 200 missiles, noting that not a single one has arrived.
"We need missiles. We have reached agreements with some countries and have already transferred funds to them," Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine will do everything possible to ensure the missiles are delivered for the agreed-upon price.
He also acknowledged that Kyiv has to "fight" to get partners to fulfill deliveries that have already been agreed upon. "We aren't asking for more - we just want them to fulfill what they agreed to, what they signed, or what they promised. Today, we are seeing a slowdown in these efforts," he said.
NATO chief urges member states to 'pull their weight'
Ahead of a NATO meeting in Turkey, Secretary General Mark Rutte urged member states to "pull their weight" and ensure Ukraine gets what it needs "to defend its sovereignty." He emphasized that Kyiv was "changing the dynamic on the battlefield," referring to efforts to stall Russian ground troops in the east and recent drone strikes that appear to give Ukraine an edge.
However, the war in the skies has intensified, and Russia's ballistic missiles are causing Kyiv real problems. 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.
The challenge of ballistic missiles
Ballistic missiles fly at several thousand kilometers an hour, making them difficult to intercept. There simply aren't enough US-made Patriot air defense missiles in Ukraine to counter them.
"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.
He 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," he argued, 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.
Broader context
The Ukrainian authorities regularly ask their partners to increase arms deliveries, particularly missiles for air defense systems. Earlier, Ukrainian top military commander Alexander Syrsky acknowledged that the country's missile and artillery forces are critically dependent on arms and ammunition supplies from the West.
Meanwhile, Russian social media accounts are full of videos of people queuing for hours to buy petrol and fighting over what little they're allowed, suggesting broader strains within Russia as the war continues.