Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged NATO allies to urgently supply more air defence systems, saying Ukraine can handle most aspects of the war but needs greater support to shield its cities from intensifying Russian missile attacks.
“We are capable of doing everything else ourselves, but when it comes to air defence, we need our partners’ determination,” Zelensky said on Tuesday at the NATO summit in Ankara.
His appeal comes after two major Russian missile strikes on Kyiv in less than a week killed more than 50 civilians. Zelensky is also expected to meet Donald Trump, arguing that Russia’s “brutal” attacks reflect weakness rather than strength and that Vladimir Putin should be pushed into negotiations for a “dignified” peace.
Ukraine has intensified long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and military sites, reportedly disrupting fuel supplies and electricity in parts of Russia. Moscow said its air defences intercepted most of the hundreds of drones launched towards the capital overnight.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on member states to “pull their weight” and ensure Ukraine receives the support it needs “to defend its sovereignty”, saying Kyiv is “changing the dynamic on the battlefield”.
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Despite Ukraine’s success in intercepting most Russian drones, Zelensky acknowledged that ballistic missiles remain a major challenge because of the limited number of Patriot air defence systems.
“It is simply absurd that, in today’s world, production has still not been scaled up to the level actually required to protect people from ballistic terror,” he said.
He also urged European allies to release Patriot missile stockpiles, insisting: “Russia is placing its bets on ballistic weapons, and those who want peace must place their bets on protection against ballistic attacks.”
Zelensky said Ukraine also hopes to develop its own advanced air defence systems with NATO support, while maintaining pressure on Russia through drone strikes aimed at forcing Moscow into meaningful peace talks without requiring Kyiv to surrender the eastern Donbas region.
