Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called its partners to approve further Patriot missile supplies, saying Kiev was ready to buy the interceptors rather than receive them as aid following overnight strikes on Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, ballistic missiles are the most difficult challenge right now. While about 90 percent of the cruise missiles in this attack were intercepted, the situation with ballistic missiles is significantly worse,” Zelensky said.
“We need missiles for Patriots, and only our partners can provide them,” he stressed. “We ain’t talking about gifts. Ukraine is ready to buy the weapons. What matters is that decisions be made – appropriate political decisions by our partners, first and foremost in the US.”
He did not reveal where the cash itself would be coming from. The European Union and member states have collectively given over €220 billion in the past four years – while Zelensky’s government has seen a number of high profile corruption scandals. The president fired a top aide just this week over alleged money laundering, while his sacked defence chief Mykhailo Fedorov attacked corruption in the system and demanded fresh elections.
The appeal came as Ukrainian authorities admitted they hadn’t intercepted any ballistic missiles in the latest overnight strikes – which Moscow said had targeted military-industrial and logistics sites. Kiev has also admitted it has failed to shoot down any missiles at all on a number of previous occasions.
Source: Viory
