President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that intelligence data indicates Russia is preparing a new massive missile strike. In his evening address, the head of state urged citizens to respond attentively to air raid alerts and emphasized the need for further strengthening the country’s air defense system.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“The topic of air defense, the necessity to continue assisting Ukraine in protecting its skies – this is our key priority.”
Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to international partners for their support, stressing that the PURL program should operate with the participation of both the United States and European countries. The president noted that funds from European partners and other allies are being accumulated for the purchase of modern missiles, particularly for the Patriot systems. He emphasized that the volumes of supplies largely depend on the United States and expressed hope that Ukraine will be heard.
International support and new solutions in the field of air defense
During the report by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the president announced that diplomatic representatives must focus their efforts on ensuring results in supporting Ukraine. Zelensky noted that Japan has already made a decision to participate in the PURL program and added that new initiatives are being prepared in Europe to create a European missile defense system. According to him, important meetings and negotiations on this issue are planned in the coming weeks.
It should be noted that the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the allocation of 14.6 million dollars (2.2 billion yen) for the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which involves the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine with funds from international partners.
Dependence on U.S. support and the shortage of air defense resources
On May 27, President Zelensky emphasized the critical importance of strengthening Ukraine’s air defense during a meeting with U.S. Congress members Richard Blumenthal and Jim Himes. It was also previously reported that the President of Ukraine sent a letter to the President of the United States and Congress, highlighting the growing shortage of systems to intercept missiles, especially countermeasures against ballistic missiles, given the threats from the Russian Federation.
According to media reports, the address stated that “in the matter of protection against ballistic missiles, we rely almost exclusively on the United States.” This concerns the PAC-3 missiles for the Patriot systems, and there has been no official response from Washington to this letter as of now.