NATO and German officials call on G7 countries to supply Ukraine with more air defense systems
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (Photo: Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock have urgently called on the Group of Seven (G7) countries to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems, according to Der Standard.
The calls were addressed to the United States, France, and Italy. Germany is currently preparing to deliver a third Patriot system.
The publication notes that the seven largest Western industrial countries have promised assistance to Kyiv in countering Russian air attacks.
"We are particularly determined to strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities to save lives and protect critical infrastructure," the declaration adopted on Friday following the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Capri states.
However, no specific new commitments have yet been made on the Italian Mediterranean island.
At the same time, the G7 has called on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to immediately cease the aggressive war against the neighboring country, which has been ongoing for over two years.
The statement emphasizes that Russia must withdraw all its armed forces from Ukraine "immediately, fully, and unconditionally."
"Russia can end this war today," the statement reads.
Air defense systems for Ukraine
In recent weeks, Russia has intensified missile strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure objects. This has led to the depletion of Ukrainian air defense systems (ADS) and enabled Russia to inflict significant damage, including the destruction of thermal power stations (TPS) and combined heat and power plants (CHPP).
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that 25 American Patriot anti-aircraft missile complexes (SAM) are needed for the country's complete air defense.
Germany was the first to offer assistance in finding ADS for Ukraine. The Germans inspected their stocks and activated the search for systems worldwide. Later, they decided to transfer an additional Patriot system to Ukraine.
However, Ukraine's priority is Patriot and Samp-T systems, which can intercept ballistic missiles. Negotiations are currently underway to obtain two Patriot batteries and one Samp-T battery.
