Sybiha calls on NATO countries to urgently provide Ukraine with at least 20 air defense systems

Andrii Sybiha. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on the allies to urgently provide Ukraine with assistance in the form of additional air defense systems to strengthen Ukraine’s energy stability in the winter.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the Foreign Ministry.

On Tuesday, December 3, during a visit to Brussels, Sybiha will visit NATO headquarters and take part in a ministerial meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

During his media availability, the Foreign Minister said that the main topics of talks with NATO allies would include immediate military assistance, investments in the Ukrainian defense industry, support for Ukraine’s energy system in the winter, and progress on Ukraine’s path to NATO.

The Minister informed the journalists about the current situation on the battlefield and noted that it is difficult.

“We need to stop Russia and prevent its troops from advancing into our territory. Their logic is clear: they are trying to occupy as much territory as possible to strengthen their future negotiating position,” he emphasized.

Sybiha recalled Moscow’s hybrid attacks against a number of European countries, as well as the involvement of Iran and the DPRK in direct aggression against Ukraine.

The minister emphasized that Europe is facing a new reality of Russian aggression and called on the allies to take decisive decisions, including providing Ukraine with the necessary number and range of weapons, as well as strengthening the deterrence package against Russia.

He emphasized that NATO should increase the price of aggression for Moscow.

The Foreign Minister thanked the partners for recognizing Ukraine’s progress in implementing the Annual National Plan and emphasized that Ukraine is committed to implementing the necessary reforms and will move quickly in this direction.

Sybiha also called on the allies to urgently provide assistance in the form of additional air defense systems to strengthen Ukraine’s energy resilience during the winter.

“Ukraine urgently needs at least 20 additional air defense systems such as Hawk, NASAMS or IRIS-T. This will help to avoid blackouts,” he emphasized.

The minister showed the original Budapest Memorandum and noted that it is evidence that any long-term security solutions at the expense of Ukraine’s security are unacceptable.

“This day marks the 30th anniversary of this paper. This document, this paper, failed to ensure Ukrainian and transatlantic security. We must avoid repeating such mistakes. In this context, we will discuss with our partners the concept of “peace through strength,” the Foreign Minister emphasized.

As previously reported, on December 3, a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers began in Brussels, one of the main issues of which will be to increase support for Ukraine, as well as to counter hybrid attacks by Russia and other totalitarian regimes against NATO countries.

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