Moscow: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Tuesday that the alliance should strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and increase other military assistance.
“I really want to assure you that allies are with you. We have to do a couple of things. First of all, we have to make sure that we help you to maintain the energy grid and the energy infrastructure as best as possible … Secondly, we have to make sure that, when it comes to air defense, we are doing a lot, but more needs to be done to make sure that the country is as safe as possible when it comes to air defense. And thirdly, when it comes to making sure that the military aid gets into Ukraine, we really have to work on this,” Rutte said in a joint address with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha ahead of the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
Sybiha, in turn, requested 19 additional air defense systems from NATO to protect Ukraine’s energy objects, and
“We are confident that with the help of our allies, we will pass the winter,” Sybiha added.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that Sybiha had asked Western allies to provide Kiev with additional 20 air defense systems, such as HAWK, NASAMS or IRIS-T.
Western countries have ramped up their military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. Russia has repeatedly said that arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the conflict settlement and directly involve NATO countries in the conflict. Russian officials have also warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russian strikes.
UNI SPUTNIK
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