On September 1, an extraordinary meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council in a political committee format took place at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The initiative came from the Ukrainian side in response to new massive air attacks from the Russian Federation.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukraine Insists on Support for Air Defense and Missile Systems
Joining the meeting online were Deputy Defense Minister Serhiy Boyev and Deputy Interior Minister Oleksiy Serhiyiv. They informed NATO allies about the current security situation in Ukraine, as well as the tactics and further intentions of the Russian Federation. In particular, Serhiyiv detailed the consequences of the recent attacks: the number of casualties, injuries, and the scale of destruction to civilian infrastructure. Boyev noted the significant increase in weapon production in Russia, focusing on cruise missiles, drones, and artillery, and also mentioned that Iran and North Korea continue to support Russia.
Ukrainian representatives called on NATO member countries to provide additional assistance to strengthen air defense, particularly the “Patriot” systems and missiles for them, and emphasized the need for long-range missiles.
Defense Industry and Investment in Drones
Separately, Ukraine emphasized the necessity of increasing investments in its own defense industry—specifically, expanding drone production. According to government officials, with sufficient funding, Ukraine is capable of significantly ramping up its defense production capacity.
“The Ukrainian side called on NATO member states to provide the necessary assistance to Ukraine in strengthening air defense, particularly the ‘Patriot’ systems and missiles for them. The need for long-range missiles was also highlighted,” the statement said.
During the meeting, NATO allies firmly condemned the massive shelling of Ukrainian cities and stressed that Russia’s actions indicate a lack of desire for peaceful resolution. Participants also agreed on the necessity of increasing pressure on Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky had a conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding the coordination of joint actions. Zelensky emphasized that Russia has effectively “stolen a significant part of this year from the world” and highlighted the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s positions in the fall.
Within the framework of the Bled Summit in Slovenia, NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska participated in a panel titled “Ukraine: The Long Road to Peace.” She noted the importance of support for Ukraine from the alliance and emphasized that providing security guarantees must ensure that Russia “never attacks Ukraine again.”