President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had instructed the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to intensify contacts with partners to strengthen air defence. He said this in a video address.
According to him, in the context of preparations for the next meeting in the Ramstein format, two main tasks have been identified: first of all, air defence, in particular the Patriot system, as well as the deployment of contingents and the development of relevant decisions. Zelenskyy stressed that he had also instructed to intensify bilateral work, especially with the United States, which has sufficient potential to help stop Russian terror.
The President emphasised that strengthening Ukraine’s air shield would also mean strengthening diplomacy. In this context, he reminded that another Russian attack used missiles launched from the Black Sea. According to him, Ukraine’s partners know from which ships and from which part of the sea the launch took place.
Zelenskyy noted that Russia’s desire to preserve the possibility of attacks from the sea is one of the reasons why Moscow does not agree to an unconditional ceasefire. He stressed that the ceasefire at sea is not only about free navigation, but also about overall security and real steps towards peace.
The Head of State added that Putin was not interested in ending the war, but was instead looking for ways to leave himself open to escalation. Therefore, according to Zelenskyy, all forms of pressure on Russia are needed in the future – from strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities to maintaining sanctions and a consistent diplomatic line that will not allow the Kremlin to continue its aggression.