Ukraine is negotiating the delivery of about 1,000 missiles for the US-developed Patriot air defense systems with the help of allies and through a loan from the European Union, Defense Minister Yevgeny Khmara said, News.bg reports.
During the meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine, Khmara indicated that the bulk of the missiles will be delivered only in the coming years, and called for more urgent support.
In subsequent comments published by the Defense Ministry, he said that Ukraine is calling on its Western partners to provide more air defense missiles from their own stocks in exchange for improvements in the characteristics of the missiles under contracts signed with Kiev.
Kiev reports funding shortfall for drones
Khmara said Ukraine is facing a $27 billion shortfall in funding for drone deliveries.
In a summary of the meeting, the Defense Ministry said Khmara presented a plan for Ukraine to wage war, which is already being implemented, as well as a list of the main threats from Moscow identified by Kiev.
According to Khmara, Russia is not achieving strategic victories along the 1,200-kilometer front line, but is compensating for this with “terror against Ukrainians“.
Kiev insists on air defense support before winter
Russia resumed its almost constant drone and missile attacks on Kiev on Tuesday after a brief hiatus related to the visit of US peace negotiators. Officials said five people were killed in the capital, as well as others in various regions.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told the meeting that Ukraine's allies must increase their support so that Kiev can "take advantage of the opportunities it is now creating on all fronts and defend itself in the skies."
The European Union earlier gave Ukraine the green light to buy Patriot interceptors, using part of a 90 billion euro loan provided by the 27 member states.