On April 19, during a televised speech at the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded with NATO to provide at least 7 more Patriot air defense complexes or similar systems. He emphasized the urgency of the situation as Russia has launched nearly 10,000 missiles and guided bombs into Ukraine in recent months.
Zelensky highlighted the devastating level of attacks from Russia, including the deployment of nearly 1,200 missiles, over 8,500 guided glide bombs, and 1,500 suicide drones targeting Ukraine since the beginning of the year. He expressed concern over the limited aid provided to Ukraine and referenced Israel’s successful interception of more than 300 missiles and UAVs targeting their airspace on April 13.
The President stressed the need to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin and restore safety in Ukraine’s skies. Zelensky urged NATO members to make a choice and decide whether they are true allies. Following a closed-door NATO-Ukraine Council meeting, NATO Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg announced that alliance members had agreed to provide additional air defense system aid. This includes Patriot missiles and other complexes such as France’s SAMP/T.
While specific commitments from member countries were not explicitly mentioned, Stoltenberg indicated that NATO would provide available air defense systems to Ukraine. Zelensky previously stated that Ukraine requires 25 Patriot systems to fully protect its airspace as its air defense network is strained by Russian attacks.
Currently, Ukraine operates a limited number of Patriot complexes provided by the US and some European countries; however, ammunition sources are dwindling rapidly. This has led to concerns that Ukraine’s air defense capabilities are insufficient to counter Russian air force operations effectively endangering Ukrainian civilians and military personnel on the front lines.
In conclusion, it is clear that Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have reached an alarming level, and urgent action must be taken by NATO to provide adequate support for Ukrainian forces fighting for freedom from aggression. The provision of additional air defense systems like Patriot missile complexes will go a long way in helping protect Ukrainian lives on both sides of conflict zones.
NATO should continue providing aid without any hesitation as it is crucial for maintaining peace in Europe’s strategic neighborhood while also strengthening ties with our vital partner country – Ukraine.