President Zelenskyy calls on allies to fulfill aid pledges

(CLO) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on allies to urgently fulfill their commitments to provide weapons, especially air defense systems, to help Ukraine cope with fierce attacks from Russia.

In a speech shared on the Telegram application, Mr. Zelenskyy emphasized that in just the past week, Russia has carried out hundreds of attacks on Ukraine, using nearly 700 aerial bombs and more than 600 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: Facebook/zelenskyy.official

Ukraine's air defense forces said they shot down 60 of the 94 UAVs launched by Russia last night. In addition, 34 other UAVs lost control after Ukraine used electronic warfare to deflect these flying devices.

"The war is lasting longer every week because the Russian military still maintains the ability to attack Ukraine and take advantage of air superiority," President Zelenskyy asserted.

President Zelenskyy stressed that the decisions adopted at the NATO summit in Washington and the Ramstein meetings on strengthening Ukraine's air defense system have not yet been fully implemented.

"I call on our allies to quickly implement their commitments," he said. In addition, Mr. Zelenskyy said he had discussed with international partners, including the United States, the possibility of licensing Ukraine to produce its own air defense and missile systems to strengthen its defense capabilities.

The fighting continues to escalate as the Russian military steps up its attacks across Ukraine. Airstrikes have focused on military and civilian targets, causing heavy damage.

According to data from Ukraine, in the latest airstrikes, Russia targeted military airports, transport vehicles and weapons depots. The Kherson, Sumy and Poltava regions were also affected by falling debris from UAVs, causing damage to houses but no casualties were recorded.

Under pressure from Russia, Ukraine is stepping up the development of its defense capabilities. Being licensed to produce weapons and air defense systems domestically will help Ukraine reduce its dependence on foreign aid and increase its self-defense capabilities.

In addition, Ukraine is also expanding its mobile anti-UAV air defense units to more effectively counter drone attacks from Russia.

Ukraine has been putting pressure on Western countries to speed up the military aid process. However, some countries remain cautious about providing lethal weapons due to concerns about escalating the conflict.

Faced with this situation, President Zelenskyy stressed that delays in implementing aid commitments would make it more difficult for Ukraine to protect its territory and people.

Hong Hanh (according to Reuters, NBC)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-zelenskyy-keu-goi-cac-dong-minh-thuc-hien-cam-ket-vien-tro-vu-khi-cho-ukraine-post330132.html