Brussels: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Kyiv's allies to ramp up military support in the face of the ongoing Russian war. In a video address to NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Wednesday, he stressed the need to force Moscow into a diplomatic path. "We must not allow Russia to blur reality or mislead the world. Moscow must be forced into diplomacy," Zelensky said.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Ukrainian leader emphasized the importance of strengthening Ukraine's air defense systems to counter Russian missile and drone attacks, as well as supporting the local defense industry. "The stronger our air defenses, the less incentive Putin has to target our cities and villages. Let us continue reinforcing this air shield together," he said.
For his part, UK Defense Secretary John Healey, speaking at the opening of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, reaffirmed his country's commitment to delivering drones to Ukraine. He called for continued Western support for Kyiv, stressing that "this is not just Ukraine's battle. It is a battle for the security of Europe, for our security today, tomorrow, and for future generations." Healey also pointed out that Russia is "routinely firing more than 300 drones per day into Ukraine," warning that this pattern could persist throughout 2025 and underscoring the need for greater deterrence and defense capabilities.
In the same context, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte highlighted the significance of the defense ministers' meeting and the need to agree on ambitious goals to enhance military capabilities, including air and missile defense, long-range weaponry, logistics, and large-scale land maneuver formations. He stressed that increasing resources and military capabilities is essential to fully implement joint defense plans, stating, "Achieving these new targets will require significantly higher defense spending, which underpins everything." The NATO Defense Ministers' Meeting was preceded by a gathering of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, an international coalition co-chaired by the United Kingdom and Germany that provides practical military support to Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
Notably, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth did not attend the ministerial meeting in Brussels despite being scheduled to attend the NATO summit on Thursday, an absence seen as a further sign of the United States stepping back from its support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.