Ukraine’s Zelensky wants more European air defense systems, arms

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked European leaders for more air defense systems, tanks and weapons, against the backdrop of the protracted war with Russia.

At a meeting in Latvia on Monday, Zelensky, who was speaking via a video link, urged the European leaders, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to supply the ex-Soviet republic with a wide array of weapons systems to assist the Ukrainian army.

“A lot depends on you – how this war will end. The more successful our defense forces are, the faster the Russian aggression will fail,” Zelensky said in his address to leaders of countries in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a UK-led grouping of Northern European countries.

“I ask you to increase the possibility of supplying air defense systems to our country, and to help speed up the relevant decisions to be taken by our partners,” Zelensky told Sunak.

Russia started what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, with the declared aim of "de-Nazifying" the country. Since the onset of the war, the United States and its European allies have imposed waves of unprecedented economic sanctions against Moscow while supplying large consignments of heavy weaponry to Kiev. The Kremlin says the sanctions and the Western military assistance will prolong the war.

Despite the flow of financial and military support, the government in Kiev says still more is needed to tip the balance in Ukraine's favor in the 10-month-old campaign against Russia.

Sunak had earlier responded to Zelensky's plea by saying that the gathering focused on "how best we can continue to support you and get you everything that you need."

Addressing Germany, which is not part of the JEF grouping and was not present at the Riga meeting, Zelensky also said at the plenary session that "there is no explanation" why Ukraine is not supplied by German-made Leopard tanks, asking the Netherlands, whose forces use the tanks, to "please talk about this decision together with your partners."

"For our defense operations to be more successful we need armored vehicles, primarily tanks."

Zelensky also asked Norway to supply more of the Norwegian NASAMS launchers and missiles, and Sweden for Swedish-produced Gripen fighter aircraft, RBS 98 missiles and Archer artillery.

He also asked Denmark to transfer Ceasar howizers to his country, Finland for more ammunition shells, Lithuania for NASAM as well as Stinger missiles, Latvia for artillery, and Estonia for howizers and ammunition.

“The sooner we restore our border control, the stronger your security will be,” Zelensky said. “Ukrainian children in their letters to St Nicholas ask for air defense, for weapons, for victory,” he said, referring to the name used for Santa Claus in his country.

On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced it had managed to shoot down four of Ukraine's US-made HARM missiles. The Kremlin said the Russian military had also intercepted six rockets from HIMARS and Uragan multiple-launch rocket systems.

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