Ambassadors from Ukraine and NATO countries are set to hold a special meeting next week, as Kyiv calls for urgent deliveries of air defense equipment to protect it from increasingly intense Russian strikes.
Over the New Year period, Russia launched some of its heaviest missile and drone attacks on Ukraine since the early days of the invasion in February 2022. At least 32 people were killed in Ukraine in the December 29 attack.
“NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will convene a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council next Wednesday,” NATO spokesman Dylan White said.
“The meeting will be held at ambassadorial level and is convened at Ukraine’s request following recent Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians, cities and towns.”
White added that NATO allies had already delivered a vast array of air defense systems to Ukraine and they were “committed to further bolstering Ukraine’s defenses.”
Ukraine says the latest attacks highlight the need for Western allies to speed up the delivery of air defense gear, combat drones and long-range missiles.
However, the appeal comes at the same time that support from leading NATO power the United States is running dry due to a stalemate in the US Congress.
Germany has had a key role in ensuring that Ukraine can better protect itself against Russian air attacks. In addition to the US-built Patriots and German-made IRIS-T air-to-air missile systems, Gepard anti-aircraft tanks supplied by Germany have proven to be highly effective.
rc/nm (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)
