My main message at NATO-Ukraine Council meeting is we need Patriots – Ukraine's Foreign Minister

During the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting at the level of foreign ministers at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba will focus on providing Kyiv with air defence systems.

Source: Kuleba to journalists during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, after arriving at the Alliance headquarters on Thursday, as European Pravda correspondent reported from Brussels

Kuleba emphasised that Russia continues to launch "unprecedented missile and drone strikes", systematically destroying the Ukrainian economy, killing people, critical infrastructure, and destroying cities. 

He specifically mentioned the Russian Shahed drone attack on Kharkiv on the night of 3-4 April, which claimed the lives of at least four people.

Quote: "I don't want to spoil the celebration of NATO's birthday, but my main message today will be Patriot [air defence system]s. Because the salvation of the lives of Ukrainians, Ukrainian cities, and the Ukrainian economy depends on the availability of Patriots and other air defence systems in Ukraine," the minister added.

The Foreign Minister explained that the Patriot system is the only system in Ukraine capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, and in March alone, Russia launched 94 such missiles at Ukraine.

"However, the provision of Patriots depends on allies. They have plenty of them. So, this will be my main focus today, and I am looking forward to the discussion I will have with allies," Kuleba concluded. 

Background:

• Jens Stoltenberg previously stated that the NATO-Ukraine Council meeting would primarily focus on providing long-term support to Kyiv.
• The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Margus Tsahkna, supported Ukraine's proposal to transfer air defence systems to it, which Western states have in their arsenals but do not actually use.

Support UP or become our patron!