(Dan Tri) – President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the West for urgent aid in the context of Russia launching nearly 1,200 missiles to attack Ukraine since the beginning of the year.
Dilapidated building in Donetsk, Eastern Ukraine (Photo: Reuters).
`Our skies must become safe again… And it depends entirely on your choice… (choose) whether we are truly allies or not,` President Volodymyr Zelensky
Mr. Zelensky said that since the beginning of this year, Ukraine has been attacked by nearly 1,200 missiles, more than 1,500 drones and 8,500 guided bombs from Russia amid a slowdown in Western military support.
`We want to say this straight. For defense, we need 7 more Patriot air defense systems or so, and that is the minimum number. They can save many lives and really change the situation
After the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the allies had agreed to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems.
`In addition to the Patriot, there are other types of weapons that allies can provide, including (the French SAMP/T system) and many others. Countries that do not have the systems available to provide have pledged
In his speech, the Ukrainian leader described the current level of foreign aid to Kiev as `very limited`.
President Zelensky said that Kiev’s army needs to receive long-range missiles and artillery shells now.
`This year we are anxiously waiting for decisions to be made. We are still waiting for new support packages from the US. US support has been questioned for too long,` the Ukrainian leader emphasized.
A US military aid package for Ukraine has been delayed for months in Congress, but the House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill to pass the aid package.
Bloomberg on April 18, citing well-informed sources, said that US and European Union (EU) officials are worried that Russian forces could breach Ukraine’s defense lines in the coming weeks.
The source said that the Russian army is continuing to advance thanks to its advantage in ammunition.
Russian forces have now advanced to the outskirts of Chasov Yar in the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Donetsk, a town important to Ukraine’s defense forces in the region due to its high location.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces `struggle because of delays in US and European military aid as well as manpower shortages`.
According to Bloomberg, Ukraine also faces daily Russian missile, drone, and bomb attacks.
In a recent interview, President Zelensky admitted that without more US aid, Ukraine has no chance of winning the conflict with Russia.