Zelensky wants 15 air defence systems for Ukraine to give up NATO membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reminded the West about the compensation for refusing NATO membership invitation. According to him, the West promised to transfer a "significant number" of air defense systems to Kyiv.

Photo: armed.mapn.ro by MApN, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Patriot air defense system

"We need full implementation of agreements on the transfer of air defense systems, in particular, the ones that were reached at the NATO summit in Washington," Zelensky said.

Ukraine's partners know how many air defense systems the country needs, Zelesnky said.

"To be honest, our partners know: we need another 12-15 systems. (…) This is real. The main thing is the political will of our partners. I am specifically addressing the United States and Europe now," Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Zelensky voiced the demand for the compensation to Kyiv in his address to participants of the Joint Expeditionary Force summit (alliance of Northern European and Baltic countries). The Ukrainian leader said that the West must fulfill its promise as Russia continues its massive missile strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Zelensky recalled that last Friday, December 13, the Russian forces launched a massive missile strike on the energy sector of the republic. According to him, this attack was one of the largest.

According to Zelensky, the Russian Armed Forces launched 94 missiles and about 200 unmanned aerial vehicles in the attack. According to Russian sources, however, Russia launched at least 120 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Iskander operational-tactical missile complex missiles, and Geran-type drones to hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure objects.