On April 19, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed NATO members by video link, urging them to provide military assistance to Ukraine. Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine needed at least seven Patriot or other high-end air defense systems to counter Russian air strikes. He emphasized that Ukraine's current level of foreign aid is "very limited" and compared the situation to the support Israel received during Iran's recent air strike. Zelenskiy also expressed his desire for the safety of Ukraine's sky and urged NATO members to choose to become allies and help bring Russian President Vladimir Putin "down to earth."
Russia has increased its long-range bombardment of Ukraine's energy infrastructure and its cities in recent weeks, ratcheting up the pressure on Kyiv as Moscow's more numerous and better-equipped forces slowly advance on the battlefield in the east.
Just this year, Zelenskiy said, Ukraine had been attacked by almost 1,200 Russian missiles, more than 1,500 drones, and 8,500 guided bombs amid a slowdown in Western military assistance. "We are telling this directly – to defend, we need seven more 'Patriots' or similar air defense systems, and it's a minimum number. They can save many lives and really change the situation," he said. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said after the meeting between allied defense ministers and Zelenskiy that the allies had agreed to provide Kyiv with additional air defense systems.
During a recent press conference in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the French system SAMP/T, along with other weapons, could be provided to Ukraine by its allies. Stoltenberg also mentioned that some allies who don't have available systems have committed to providing financial support for Ukraine to purchase them. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has emphasized the urgency of the situation, calling for long-range missiles and artillery shells to be provided to Kyiv's troops immediately.
"This year we can't wait for decisions to be made," he said.
The United States military aid, which has been earmarked for Ukraine, has faced delays in Congress for several months. Despite the ongoing conflict with Russia, the aid has been withheld due to concerns regarding corruption in Ukraine. However, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill on Saturday that will release tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine.
President Zelenskiy has expressed concern over the delayed aid, stating that American support has been in question for too long. The aid package is expected to include Javelin anti-tank missiles, which have been highly sought after by Ukraine to defend against Russian aggression.
The delay in military aid has been a major concern for Ukraine, which has been fighting a war in its eastern region with Russian-backed separatists since 2014, resulting in the deaths of over 13,000 people. The potential release of aid has been welcomed by Ukrainian officials, who hope that it will help to support their efforts to maintain the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
