“Shaheds sound the same”: Zelenskyy calls for equal air defense support

President Zelenskyy highlighted the coordinated response of the US, UK, France & Jordan in shooting down 300 drones and missiles fired by Iran at Israel.

Apr 16, 2024 - 07:07

“Shaheds sound the same”: Zelenskyy calls for equal air defense support

In his evening address on 15 April, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy questioned why Western allies could swiftly defend Israel’s skies against Iranian missile attacks but fail to provide the same level of protection to Ukraine

“European skies could have received the same level of protection long ago if Ukraine had received similar full support from its partners in intercepting drones and missiles,” Zelenskyy said.

The article highlights the coordinated response by the US, UK, France, and Jordan in shooting down some 300 drones and missiles fired by Iran at Israel, demonstrating the effectiveness of Israel’s missile defense system combined with advanced aircraft.

However, Zelenskyy argued, “Israel is not a NATO member, so no action, such as triggering Article 5, was required. No one was dragged into the war. They simply contributed to the protection of human life.”

“Together they did not allow terror to prevail. And together they are working – with many others – to prevent further escalation,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy argued that Shaheds in Ukrainian skies sound the same as in the Middle East, and ballistics “hit equally everywhere if not shot down.” He stressed that terror “must lose everywhere and completely, not somewhere more, somewhere less.”

The president expressed gratitude to partners providing air defense support but noted, “We can now see how unity can work truly a 100%, and how almost a 100% of Shaheds and missiles can be intercepted. We will discuss it with our partners,” Politico reported, citing Zelenskyy.

The Allies’ reaction

Politico also reported the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis who said, “Kyiv keeps requesting the same type of protection from the same group of countries for more than two years now.”

Answering why the West did not shoot down Russian drones and missiles, former French ambassador to Washington, Gérard Araud, wrote on X: “Good question indeed….”

When asked why the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) couldn’t shoot down Russia’s drones over Ukraine, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated that engaging NATO forces directly with Russian troops could lead to a concerning escalation of the war, not providing further explanation on how downing unmanned aerial assets in Ukrainian airspace equates to direct engagement with troops.

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